Blood Ties
by Twisted Sarcasm
Summary: Under new management. There is a way to save an ex-human and Kaname possesses this cure. But there are many side effects and Kaname and Zero are about to find out just what those side effects are. Originally by Faydora
1. Chapter 1

Title: Blood Ties  
Author: Faydora (for the first 7 chapters)  
Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own VK. I don't even own this idea. All props go to my main girl Fay.

Notes: Well it certainly took me long enough to get this up. There was a lot going on with the end of school what with exams and job applications needing to be filled out. I wanted so badly to go ahead and start on this project but Fay told me that the fans wouldn't mind having to wait a while. So if you have any problems, take it up with her. She's the one who persuaded me to wait a bit.

I hope I can do this story justice because this was probably the best story I had ever read from Fay. I don't want to botch the entire thing up. So if it ever seems like there is something completely off track with the story, please let me know. I want to keep you guys happy.

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Chapter 1: Deal

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_**Ex-humans are doomed to insanity. After the initial bite from the pureblood vampire, their bodies slowly attempt to take on the form of a vampire. Sadly, their human bodies cannot handle the transformation and they lose their sane mind, leaving the bloodthirsty part of their minds to control them.**_

_**But there does exist a cure. A cure so rare that most have never even heard rumors of it.**_

All of the remaining purebloods are gifted with the sacred gift of curing an ex-human. All it takes is one drop of the richest blood in the world to the tongue of an ex-human and they will instantly be saved from the haunting insanity that waits to overtake them one day.

_**But there is a reason the cure is so rare. Just like most medicines and cures, there are side effects.**_

_**1: The Level Change**_

_**When the ex-human takes the pureblood's blood, their blood changes. If the pureblood does not drink from the ex-human, then the ex-human will simply be moved up to common vampire status. But, if the pureblood drinks from the ex-human, they have completed the blood tie, meaning they have shared blood and are now connected in many ways. Completing the blood tie, the ex-human will be of pureblood status.**_

_**2: The Taste**_

_**Even if the pureblood does not take from the ex-human, both will have a craving for the others blood. Other blood tastes bland and horrid to both after the blood tie has begun. Eventually they give in to their cravings, no matter how hard they try to fight them off.**_

_**3: The knowledge**_

_**If the ex-human is the only one to take blood, the pureblood will be the only one affected. The pureblood will be able to see into the others mind, being able to read the others thoughts; see pictures displayed in the ex-humans mind. Along with that, they will be able to read the others thoughts; feeling them in some cases. Also, they will always know where the other is at, at all times of the day no matter if the other doesn't want to be found. (Once the blood tie is complete, this side effect affects both the pureblood and the ex-human.)**_

_**4: The devotion**_

_**Once the blood tie is complete, a strange form of devotion will form between the two, to the point where they cant even have proper relationships because of the blood tie. They aren't allowed to take blood from anyone else because the blood tie stops them.**_

_**5: The desire**_

_**A usually overlooked effect of the blood tie is the desire for the other. An overwhelming sense of hunger washes over them, making them want more than just blood from the other at random times.**_

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Kaname read until the last sentence of the paragraph labeled, "_**3: The Knowledge" **_He decided to stop because he already knew the consequences of the blood tie. From the time when he was five years old, he was told to protect his blood. If not, he could end up in an unwanted relationship with a strange vampire. To a pureblood, protecting his blood was of the utmost priority.

Standing up from his desk, he closed the book and stretched, diving under the covers for a few hours of sleep before class started. His heavy eyes were grateful for the rest. But he did have a reason for all his studying. Tonight would be the night. Before the night was over, he would find some way to do it.

He was going to save Zero Kiryu.

The pureblood had been watching Zero for the past few months. The younger boy had taken blood from Yuuki three times in two months. Not a healthy diet for any vampire. Zero told Yuuki the blood tablets were starting to work again, but in truth, they only worked once in a great while. For two whole weeks, the ex-human hadn't had any blood. It was speeding up the process of his fall into being a Level E.

"He's so stubborn," Kaname mumbled to himself as he pulled the covers up to his chin.

It annoyed Kaname to no end how Zero wouldn't take from Yuuki. At first, the pureblood thought that he didn't like Zero taking blood from Yuuki. It was annoying to have Zero suck from his precious girl. But when Zero suddenly stopped, making him suffer while he slowly starved, Kaname found that even more upsetting.

He was in love with the ex-human.

"I love him," He mumbled to himself with a yawn. He tried to force Zero from his mind but the only thing he could seem to think about was sinking his fangs into Zero's neck. He could see himself licking a slow, lazy trail from Zero's ear to his neck, allowing his fangs to brush against the pulse of Zero's neck. Then his hands would make their way south, gasping his-

No. He couldn't think about that. If he went any further with that fantasy, it would only make it that much harder to restrain himself when it came to Zero. When it came to Zero…Kaname couldn't control any part of his body. He was in love with the younger boy. And he was willing to risk eternal hatred from the one he loved most if he could save him from insanity.

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Zero sighed loudly as the gates to the moon dormitory opened. It was another night of keeping the hoards of girls at bay and having to keep watch on the ones Zero hated most. Zero wasn't sure what was worse, the vampires, or the screaming mobs of girls who flocked towards the night class like moths to a flame. It made Zero hate his life as a vampire even more.

"Idol-sama!" one girl cried as she waved to him frantically. Another girl behind her scowled at her forwardness, obviously ticked by the fact that someone else was crushing on the same person she was, and pushed her onto the ground. She yelped as she connected with the ground face first.

"Are you okay?" Yuuki cried as she rushed over to the fallen girl. Lifting her head to nod she reached up towards her nose- the place she had injured when she fell. A cold shiver rocked through Yuuki's body as she saw a small trickle of blood drip from her nose. This wasn't good.

"Everyone get back!" Zero yelled at the crowd. He clutched his chest as a wave of pain shot through his body. With his other hand he covered his mouth. His gums were tingling-a sure sign his fangs were beginning to extend. "It's dangerous here! Get back to your dorms immediately." His stomach rolled, teasing him as his hunger for blood grew.

Not bothering to tell Yuuki where he was going, he turned on his heel and ran into the woods. He didn't want to put the humans in danger by remaining where the blood was.

"Zero!" Yuuki called after him. She started to run off after him.

"I'll go," Kaname said reassuringly as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She started to protest but Kaname placed a finger on her lips. "I promise not to hurt him." He knew this would be the only chance he would get to save Zero tonight. He needed to take it.

"But Zero needs-"

"I know," Kaname replied darkly. He didn't want her to be the one to feed him. "I've already instructed the night class to hurry along. Please make sure the day class doesn't force them to disobey orders. They can't be responsible for what they do if the humans provoke them." Kaname smiled and turned around, leaving Yuuki in a daze, and ran off after Zero.

Yuuki could only obey the man she loved.

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Zero was sulking by the pond. He sat perched at the edge of the water, staring into his reflection with an angry glare, hating who and what he was. Thoughts of ripping the throats of the human girls open just to have a taste of their blood had filled his mind as soon as the smell of blood wafted over to him. It horrified him that he could see the picture clearly. The picture of a small girl screaming at first but then silencing as the pleasure of having her blood sucked took the place of her fear.

"You haven't fed like you should have," a voice from behind him said. Zero jumped to his feet, suddenly alert.

In one swift motion, Zero pulled out his bloody rose and pointed at the vampire's forehead. "Go away!" Zero growled lowly. "I'm not in the mood to see your face." Kaname always picked the worst times to appear out of nowhere. Zero was sure he did it on purpose.

"Please put that away," Kaname asked politely as he placed his hand on the gun. Continuing to step forward Kaname slowly lifted his free hand to Zero's chin.

"Don't touch me!" Zero demanded as he tried to free himself from Kaname's grasp. Kaname only tightened his grip on the boys chin.

"I can save you, you know," Kaname whispered. "I can save you from falling. All it would take is a little cooperation on your part."

Zero's eyes widened. "You mean, there's a cure for vampirism?" He said each word slowly, rolling them off his tongue as if he couldn't believe the words were coming out of his mouth. He knew there was no cure. What a stupid question to ask.

Kaname sighed. "No." He felt sorry for Zero. _It must be horrible to have to live your life as something you hate. _He shook the thought away. This was no time to get distracted. "But I can save you from your own insanity."

Zero yanked his chin free from Kaname's hand. "You're crazy if you think I'd live my life like this! I hate vampires! I'd rather die than live out my life as a blood sucking leech!" Zero took a step back away from Kaname.

Kaname advanced on him. "You don't understand do you? You are going to die. Your fall is going to hurt many people. Emotionally and possibly physically."

Zero stopped backing away. For a moment he thought he saw desperation flicker in Kaname's eyes. "I refuse!" Zero said sternly. It scared him how Kaname's eyes had suddenly hardened, making his face look beyond menacing. It was slightly seductive.

Kaname pounced. Trapping Zero between himself and a tree, he pressed their bodies close together so Zero's face was very close to his neck.

"W-what are you doing?" Zero stuttered. His eyes traced over the gentle pulse in Kaname's neck. He could smell the rich blood coursing through the pureblood's veins. It made his mouth water; his body throb at the thought of having his fangs sink into that soft skin; his fingers curl at thought of having Kaname's lips on his skin, his fingers touching places he normally wouldn't touch, his-

Zero forced himself to stop that kind of thinking.

"I can feel your body reacting to me," Kaname whispered as he drew a lazy trail down Zero's cheek with his finger. He wished it was because of the close proximity of their bodies, but he knew it was his blood was driving Zero crazy. "The blood that exists within me is the thing that will save you. Your body is reacting to the scent of my blood.

Zero brought his hands up between them in a weak attempt to push them apart but his body betrayed him and he clutched Kaname's shirt, bringing his lips to brush over the throbbing pulse in the purebloods neck.

Zero was near begging point. Kaname's blood wasn't the only thing attracting him.

"I'm sorry for having to use force," was the last thing Kaname whispered before he brought his finger to his neck. Slowly, Zero watched as Kaname sank his nail in his neck, ripping a long gash down one side. A slow languid trail of blood slipped down Kaname's neck and traveled down to his shoulder.

Kaname gasped when he felt Zero's tongue at his shoulder, lapping up the trail of blood until he reached the wound. The pureblood had to bite back a moan as he felt the first part of the blood tie wash over him. Leisurely, his hands slid up Zero's sides to grip his arms.

Unaware of how affected Kaname was by this, Zero allowed his fangs to pierce the skin so more blood could flow. The taste was so rich and so pure, he hated himself for allowing himself to be controlled by the hunger so easily.

"Guh," Kaname gasped when Zero's fangs entered into his sensitive neck. Purebloods had to be careful about their blood. The blood tie was the first reason. He could feel a pathway opening in his mind, allowing all of Zero's feelings and thoughts to pour into his mind. He could feel Zero was feeling and now, he was in pure ecstasy. Since the blood tie was very new to Kaname, he wasn't sure how to block out the thoughts and feelings from mixing with his own so it couldn't be helped that he was getting slightly aroused by this situation.

Finally, Zero stopped sucking the purebloods blood. He was full but he wasn't quite finished with Kaname just yet. He licked the wound clean, making sure not to let any of the precious blood go to waste. When he was satisfied, he lifted his head to nibble on Kaname's ear, using one hand to pull Kaname close, and the other to travel south on the elder boy.

"Z-Zero!" Kaname gasped when Zero playfully teased him by dipping his hand in under the waistband of his pants, dragging his finger along the pureblood's member in a very…erotic way. "Zero stop!" Kaname forced Zero away from him, no matter how much he really wanted Zero to continue doing the things he was doing. He had been warned about this too; when a vampire first tastes of the purebloods blood, it intoxicates them, making all coherent thought wash away for a while. It was as if they were drunk.

"Kaname," Zero whined. "I really…really…like you." Oh how the pureblood wished that was true.

Kaname sighed as Zero's eyes floated closed and he collapsed onto him. "Not what I had thought would happen," Kaname said with a roll of his eyes.

Pulling Zero into his arms, he picked up the younger boy bridal style and began walking towards the day class dorms.

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Chapter 2

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"Kaname?" Chairman questioned as he looked at the pureblood who had just walked into his office. After tucking Zero in his bed back at the dormitory for day class students, he slipped into a daze, wandering around for an hour thinking of nothing but Zero. Somehow, he had wandered into the Chairman's office.

Kaname looked around the room distractedly. The walls were covered with bookshelves filled with books. Up near the front popular books lined the shelves but near the back in dark corners that day students and visitors were never to have their attention drawn to studies and facts on vampires crowded the shelves. Interrupting the bookshelves were two doors. The first one on the left of the chairman led to the guest bedroom that Zero usually slept in. The door on the right led to a bathroom that Zero and Yuuki always used when their work was finished.

"Kaname?" the chairman repeated, trying to get to purebloods attention. "Are you okay?"

Kaname took a seat in front of the headmaster of cross academy. He didn't want to be around the chairman at the moment. With his head still swiveling from the incredible moment he shared with Zero and the fact that the chairman was unbelievably conscious to the smallest bit of change in one's behavior, the chairman would immediately start asking questions about what had Kaname on edge. But if Kaname just suddenly left, wouldn't that cause more questions to arise?

"Yes, headmaster cross," Kaname answered as he tried to relax into the chair. If he kept a cool head, the chairman wouldn't notice anything and Kaname could quickly be on his way. Everything about Zero could remain a secret. No one would know, not even Zero himself.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Kaname faltered. He had forgotten all about class. "Well, chairman," he cleared his throat, searching for a lie. "There was…an accident, as I am sure you already know of, and I wanted to make sure that none of my kind foolishly disobeyed my orders to stay away from the humans." Kaname felt his shoulders relax and he sat back in the chair with a mental sigh.

The chairman raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I am aware of what happened tonight with the girl." He smiled brightly. "You have blood all over your shirt."

Kaname's eyes widened as he looked down at his shoulder. Sure enough, his blood had stained the nice white suit. Absent mindedly, he scratched at it, flicking a dried bit of blood off his shoulder.

The chairman scrunched his nose. "I do not appreciate having blood on my floor. As I am sure you know, the vampires are very sensitive to it and smelling blood in this room-even if it's dry-will set them off." He looked at the suddenly depressed looking pureblood. "Do you want to tell me?"

No sooner had he said it, Kaname began his story. "I let Zero take from me," he whispered softly.

The chairman jumped to his feet, slamming his hands down on his desk. "He agreed to becoming a pureblood with you?" This was astonishing. "He hates vampires! I never would have dreamed he would have agreed to anything except suffering through the next few months until he finally had to be killed."

Kaname heaved a heavy sigh as he looked at his feet. There was no way he would be able to look at the chairman. "He…doesn't actually…know…about the side effects. In fact…he doesn't even know about the blood tie." As soon as the words left his lips, he felt better, knowing that someone else could help him out in his situation.

Chairman sat down slowly, taking in Kaname's words. "You…didn't tell him?" The chairman didn't think that Kaname was capable of doing such as thing as lying to someone about something so life changing. "Why?"

Kaname scowled. "Because the stupid idiot would have refused my blood and suffered! Did you know that he hadn't had blood in weeks? He was purposefully refusing Yuuki because of his love for her!" During his rant, he had stood and began pacing. He was angry and jealous and hating himself for doing something so stupid as giving his blood to someone who hated his existence. Suddenly he was depressed.

"Kaname," the chairman began as he reached out to the vampire. He withdrew his hand and contemplated the words he had just heard. "So…he doesn't know about becoming a pureblood if he lets you drink from him?" Kaname shook his head sadly. Chairman was quiet for a moment. "You have to tell him."

"What?" Kaname stopped pacing to glare at the man. "He would kill me if he knew that I started something so dangerous just to save him."

Chairman sighed. "If you don't, then things will get out of hand. Think about it-if he doesn't know to be careful about his blood around you, what will happen if he slips and scrapes his knee or gets a paper cut when he opens a letter? What happens if you can't control yourself and you start going for his throat? If you take one drop of blood from him, the blood tie will be complete and he'll hate you even more than he does now for dragging him into the life of a pureblood." The room was a silent for a few minuets.

"I…just can't tell him," Kaname was almost to the point of shaking. He was determined not to let the chairman's words get to him but…he had a point "I mean, imagine what will happen when I tell him that one small slip and we'll forever be bound by a blood tie **and** he'll be a pureblood." He shook his head at the image his mind conjured up. "There…has to be some other way," he mumbled.

"If you don't tell him, and either one of you slips up, how do you think Zero will feel when he's confronted by the counsel?" Chairman laced his fingers together and rested his chin on the bridge made by his fingers. He looked up darkly at the vampire before him. "They do a lot of snooping around here. Every few months they drop by to see what progress had been made in the human-vampire relationship. They'll immediately smell you on him and they'll force you to mark him."

"It would only be right for me to mark him, though," he mumbled, defending his vampire heritage.

Marking was a sacred vampire ritual. To humans it would be the same as marriage. The two would make love and they would take blood from each other at the same time. Afterwards, a mark would be forever etched somewhere on their body, letting everyone know that they were claimed by someone. The lady in the relationship would take the man's name, as if it really were a marriage.

The chairman nodded. "I understand, but do you honestly think Zero will? He's stubborn and he'll refuse the counsel upfront, practically begging for death." The chairman chuckled darkly as he thought of that situation. "Whatever you do, Kaname," Chairman warned, "Do it carefully. There are many people who would disapprove of this."

Kaname heaved another sigh. "I need to get cleaned up," he murmured as he looked at his blood-covered shoulder. He started towards the door, ready to leave the presence of the chairman. "I'll…think about it before I do anything," he said carefully.

Chairman nodded slightly, wondering how things could possibly turn out.

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"Zero!"

Zero rolled over in his bed, not wanting to get up quite yet

"Zero!" Yuuki was standing over Zero, scowling as he ignored her. "Zero, you've already missed the first class! The teachers are starting to get worried." She waited for an answer from her friend but when he only yawned and mumbled something incoherent she reached down, yanking the pillow from under his head.

"Ow!" Zero complained as his head fell on his bloody rose gun.

"You sleep with that thing under your pillow?" Yuuki asked as she smacked him with the pillow.

"Leave me alone!" Zero whined as he clutched the pillow to his face, trying to block the incredibly bright rays of sunlight from reaching his eyes. "I've already missed one of my classes, let me miss the rest of them. Tell them I'm sick." Meaning to end the conversation, he rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.

"No way, Zero," Yuuki, said as she yanked the blankets off of him. Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance. His white button-up shirt was stained with blood on one side, wrinkled and dirty. His pants were falling off his hips, revealing black boxers that Yuuki really could have gone a long time without seeing. Even his shoes were still on! "Zero…who did you…drink from?" She asked slowly, not comprehending the fact that he hadn't been the one to give him blood.

Zero lifted the pillow off of his face, confused. Looking down he saw the blood, smelled the distinct scent of pure untainted blood staining his shirt. "Who did I-?" He stopped short, remembering everything that had happened the night before. Well, most of it. He remembered being bullied by Kaname and then suddenly sinking his teeth into his neck. He couldn't remember what was said though; only the way his eyes kept tracing one pulsing vein in Kaname's neck.

"I guess I got a little carried away with the blood tablets," he lied numbly. He didn't want to lie to Yuuki, but somehow he knew that he shouldn't tell her just yet that he had taken Kaname's blood. It just…seemed like what had conspired between them needed to remain a secret.

"It got all over you?" Yuuki asked, seeing through his lie.

Zero nodded. "I was really irritated because I couldn't control myself and I guess I had a really tight grip on the glass because it shattered everywhere. I was so drained last night when I got back to the dorms I didn't even change my clothes." At least Kaname had been courteous enough not to undress and redress him in his bedclothes. Zero would have been pissed if Kaname had actually undressed him.

Yuuki sighed. "Maybe it's best if you don't go to class," she admitted in defeat. She looked at him warily, debating on whether or not it would be okay to leave him when he was in so much pain. It hurt her feelings to have to see him sulking all day and night while he slowly died. "Maybe I should-"

"No!" Zero cried looking at her sternly. "I have better grades than you do. You can't afford to miss another day of class."

Yuuki slumped. "If you're sure," she turned towards the door. When her small delicate hand was wrapped around the doorknob, she turned back around, looking at him apologetically. "I'm gong to do it tonight," she said with a small smile.

Zero knew what she was talking about. His heart ached but not for the reason he wished it could be. He wished he could be jealous of Kaname for winning the heart of Yuuki…but instead he was wishing Yuuki would just disappear.

When he looked up to say something, she was already gone.

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Even though he knew he shouldn't be out of his room-lest he be caught by his teachers and dragged back to class-he couldn't stay in that room. Not only was he itching to get up **do** something, the smell of the room bothered him. He had slept in this room many times before; he had been around the humans long enough for the smell to just be a normal occurrence, but he couldn't stand it. The distinct smell of human stood out today-like on those days when you get a headache so bad your senses screw up and everything is enhanced. As he dressed, the thought nagged him slightly, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. Perhaps it was just different because for once in his life, his hunger was gone. No troubling pain knifing at his stomach, no thoughts of ripping the next humans neck open and sucking up all of the blood, no more hunger. For now that is, he reminded himself gloomily. Being an ex-human meant that when the hunger went away, it would come back faster and bigger than before. In a few hours, his mouth would be watering as he watched the Day Class return to their dorms. Sighing he glared at his reflection in his mirror.

When he was dressed in his only casual outfit-blue jeans ripped at the knees and a black t-shirt with a white vest-he grabbed his Bloody Rose Gun and slipped out into the corridor. He almost had to cover his nose and mouth because the intense smell of human sweat, tears, and unwashed flesh was making him dizzy.

He was almost relieved when he stepped outside into the fresh air. The human smell still hung in the air but the scent of soil, and plant life was able to cover most of it up. The reason he wasn't relieved was the fact that the sun was blinding him. He felt drained suddenly and backed up against the building, thankful for the shadows."

"Something is up…" he said to himself. "And I don't think it's just because I've gone for so long without blood." His senses had never been this bad before. Momentarily, he thought about going to go see the Chairman, but the hyper man would only bug him with questions Zero wasn't sure he should give the answer to, and send him back to class.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he began walking along side of the wall, keeping to the shadows as best he could. He wasn't sure where he was going but he would be fine as long the sun wasn't anywhere near him. Finally, he realized he wasn't getting very far by slinking along the wall so he stepped out into the sun, cursing under his breath and took off running. Blindly, he ran all the way till he was under the shadowed porch of the Night Dorms. It was barely even the afternoon, so he knew it would be a while before the sun went down…and even better, before the vampires woke up.

Quietly, he opened the large entrance door and slipped inside, careful not to let the door slam as he let go of the door. The entrance room was grander than he could have ever expected. There was a large rug with some kind of vampire coven sign in the middle of the floor and a large elegant stair with crimson carpet traveling up each step. There were three arcs that led to another room. To the left of Zero was the first Lounge Room where the vampires hung out if they were hosting a party or doing something stupid like that. To Zero's right was another Lounge Room. Right beside the stairs however was a Library with the best vampire facts the world could ever ask for.

I could rest up here for a few minuets and none of them would ever know, Zero told himself as he moved towards one of the Lounge Rooms. Just as he about to enter the room, however, something caught his eye. It was a golden bound book resting on one of the tables in the library. And, while the library itself seemed like it hadn't been used in centuries (The vampires had better things to do than read about themselves), the book looked like it had recently been opened. Since the book was resting on the edge of the table, Zero guessed that someone had been planning on putting the book back but had gotten sidetracked somehow.

Before Zero knew what he was doing, he opened the book, surprised at how fragile it felt. The binding was stretched and pulled so little strings were hanging out the end, and some of the pages were falling apart. Even though it wasn't too big, the book proclaimed to have knowledge of purebloods-all information in fact.

Intrigued that he might be able to find some secret about Kaname, he sat down in one of dusty seats and began to read.

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It was just past sunset when the vampires began to stir in their quiet little rooms. They started to get dressed and most of them were decent by the time they heard the scream. It was angered, frightened, and it scared the mess out of them as they rushed downstairs to see what was wrong. They gathered in the entrance room and stared in confusion and they looked upon the disgruntled figure of Zero Kiryuu. He was glaring hatefully at a little golden book lying on a table as his breathing escalated immensely.

"Where. Is. He?" He demanded as he whipped out his Bloody Rose Gun. "Where the hell is Kaname Kuran?" His finger was twitching against the trigger, and all the vampires took a step back.

Kaname, coming down the stairs at that point, looked down at his followers strangely. They all looked frightened. They were only ever frightened by a vampire hunter, Kaname, or Zero's gun.

"Kaname!" Zero's voice echoed from the library. Kaname's eyes widened as he rushed down the stairs to find Zero fuming with sweat beading on his forehead as he pointed his gun at Aido. Poor Aido looked as if he was about to die from shock, before Zero even had a chance to fire off his gun. Zero threw the book at Kaname's head. "You…you!! I can't even think of a word bad enough to describe you!"

Kaname looked at the book and gasped. The secret was out and Zero had overreacted just like the Chairman thought he would. Tears were forming in Zero's eyes as his mind processed everything. He was a common vampire now?! Even though his mind kept telling him that it was all a lie, a sick lie invented by Kaname to screw with his mind, he knew it was true. He could practically feel the new cells on his body, even the way his blood rushed through his veins was different. He didn't want this. He didn't want to be the only thing he hated and wished to destroy. Zero had just come to terms with slowly dying as he fell to a Level E but Kaname had ruined it. Sure everyone was a great deal safer without Zero's continuous fall and bloodlust, but couldn't Kaname had just shot him with the Bloody Rose.

Zero dropped his gun to the ground and ran at Kaname throwing punches at the pureblood, successfully putting all the other vampires on edge as they bared their fangs at the 'human.' But none of them moved. They could sense that Kaname wanted Zero to attack him…for some odd reason none of them could understand. The truth was, the blood tie was tormenting him internally. He could feel Zero's anger and guilt welled up inside of him.

Kaname dodged a few punches; cursing Zero's newfound power and Zero forced his fist into Kaname's stomach. Instinct took over for one brief second and he growled at the younger boy, his fangs showing, as he pushed Zero back into a wall. Zero slumped against the wall letting out a pained moan as he tried to get up. The Blood Tie took over and Kaname felt guilt, pain, and sorrow washed out his hatred, anger, and happiness at seeing the boy helpless. He rushed over to the boy without thinking.

"Zero are you okay? Can you hear me? Can you move? Do you feel any injuries?" He kept babbling on like this until Zero started coughing. The distinct smell of blood flooded everyone's senses as their mouths watered. Kaname lifted Zero's head by his chin to get a look into the younger boys face while Zero was still coughing up blood. A few specks of blood landed on Kaname's face.

He reached up to wipe at it, ignoring his stomachs rolling as he wiped at his cheek. "Well, you look-"

Only two people knew what happened then. Only two people could feel it. Zero coughed as he tried to rid himself of the taste of his own blood. At least the blood wasn't pooling in the back of his throat anymore.

On drop of blood was all it took. That single drop did several things. The first was a heat wave rushed over both of the boys, making Zero hunch over in pain as a fire erupted in his chest. The fire rushed everywhere, making every inch of his body feel tingly. His blood was changing, Kaname thought briefly before he felt the last pathway open in his mind. Zero felt the pathway open in his mind as well, but he barely paid it a flicker of attention as his stomach rolled and the tingling feeling started to die down.

He was barely aware that Kaname had sent the other vampires away, telling them to wait outside at the Moon Gate until they opened so they could go to class. None protested, feeling that Kaname was on the edge and one word against his judgment would be the end of them.

Just when Zero thought all the pain was over, he felt a hand on his back and just the touch from the older boy was enough to send sparks flying all over him. He felt worry seep into his mind but he knew it wasn't his own. Just as the darkness swept over his vision, he saw Kaname leaning over him, distress written all over his face.

The Blood Tie was complete.

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Kaname had been pacing his bedroom for over an hour, glancing at his watch every so often to check how long Zero had been unconscious. As soon as Zero had passed out, Kaname had picked him up carefully, and carried him back to his room where he tucked him in tightly under the covers. The huge black and red duvet had proved to be too much when Zero broke into a sweat. Immediately, Kaname ripped the covers off of the poor boy but he only continued to sweat. Since then, Kaname had been on edge, thinking over the failed cases of the Blood Tie.

There were only two total recorded cases of the Blood Tie failing. Both cases reported of one vampire trying to save an ex-human and the ex-humans body rejecting the blood transformation. As a result, the ex-human died shortly after the exchange of blood. Since half of the Blood Tie had already begun, the pureblood-riddled with grief and sadness-died along with their partner. Kaname sure as hell didn't want to die, and even more so Zero. He truly cared about the ex-human. He was in love with Zero and-even though he was sure it was Blood Tie talking-if Zero died, and then Kaname would die too.

A low groan echoed up from over near the bed. Kaname nearly tripped when he rushed over to the silver-haired teen.

"Zero! Zero, can you hear me? Say something!" Kaname gripped the edge of the bed, resisting the urge to pick up Zero's sweaty hand and pat it to show his worry. For some odd reason, he felt that if he did something like that, Zero would throw a fit and try to kill him. Can't imagine how he got that feeling…

"You're a bastard," Zero groaned, tightening his eyes shut as his head lolled to the side. "Leave me alone." He tried to put more force behind his words but he was in so much pain, everything sounded even more slurred than when he barely tried at all.

Kaname let out a large breath of air. Zero's new senses picked up on the scent of mint, and roses. "I thought you were going to die," Kaname admitted at he rocked back on his heels.

"Someone here is going to die if you don't stop talking so loud!" Zero slurred. His head was pounding, his arms were still tingling slightly, and his body felt unusually warm. "Besides, who said I would die just because you did something funny to me." He felt like he was flying suddenly, as if he was no longer tied down by gravity and other forces of nature. He let out a contended sigh. "Why is it so hot in here?" He asked as he rolled over onto his stomach, trying to ignore the nasty feeling of having his shirt stuck to his back.

"That's the Blood Tie," Kaname responded immediately. "Once our minds have been opened to each other, the Blood Tie works the rest of it's magic. It changes your whole body by turning you into a pureblood. You wont look any different-it just makes your cells more…durable, I guess you could say, so you can move faster and be stronger. That's the tingling you should be feeling right now-if I've been taught correctly. The hot feeling you're feeling is because your blood is being turned into a pure material. It's hunting down all your humanoid blood-cells and erasing them, turning them into vampire blood…"

Zero didn't hear anymore after that. He couldn't comprehend much of what Kaname was saying, just the fact that something was happening to his body and it was slightly painful-less now that it was before. So he just relaxed his muscles and let the warm, peaceful feeling override his senses until he was unconscious again, the soft humming of Kaname's voice in the background.

111

"I want to ask you something important." Yuuki stared at the headmaster of Cross Academy with determination dancing across her face. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line, her back was straight, and her eyes were staring directly into the Chairman's. The man had never seen her look so resolute before.

"Well, go on," he urged with a smile. Judging from her hardened voice, what she was about to ask was going to be large request.

"I want someone else to join the team of perfects." She didn't even blink as she said it. It was so uncharacteristic to see Yuuki so determined about something. Unless it was something about Zero then she never got worked up. Did this have something to do with Zero?

The chairman's smiled faded and he gave Yuuki a 'Now, now,' look. "Yuuki," he began with a sigh. "You know that that is a hard decision to make. Holding the job as a perfect is a huge responsibility. You know as well as I do that not just anyone can be a perfect. They have to be someone of sound mind. Someone who can handle the secret of the Night Class."

"I understand that," Yuuki said with a small hint of a whine edging at her tone. "And I've got the perfect person in mind to help hold that responsibility."

"Who?" The chairman edged forward on his chair. It seemed the young girl had thought this through very carefully. Of course, he shouldn't have ever doubted she wouldn't. When it came down to it, Yuuki, even if she did succumb to her feminine whiles more often than not, was very a bright individual.

"Yori."

"Ah…your little friend." The chairman thought it over a bit. "Yuuki…why are you pushing this so hard?"

"Because," she answered quickly. "Zero is the worst perfect in history!" She threw her hands in the air. "He rarely does his work correctly, and when he does, it's only to scare the living mess out of the other students. He ran off the other night and didn't return at all." She suddenly quieted her rant and looked down at her hands. "And…well, I guess we have to prepare for…" Tears welled up in her eyes but she blinked them away rapidly. Zero had ordered her to never shed a single tear for him. He said that crying never fixed anyone's problems. But sadly, at night, when she had nothing to think about other than his nearing demise, she couldn't help but let the tears flow and the lump in her throat push out sobs.

The chairman bit his lower lip. "It's okay," he said as he looked down. He couldn't tell Yuuki about what Kaname had done, so it was best if they stayed away from the subject of Zero's death. He wouldn't lie to Yuuki but as long as she didn't ask outright, he could carefully skirt around the subject.

"I suppose you have a point," he said gently. "So, let's call Yori in for a meeting in a few minuets and ask her what she wants to do."

Yuuki looked up, her eyes glassy and smiling. "Thank you," she whispered as she scampered out of the room to find her friend.

111

When Zero woke up the second time, he was sober. The funny feeling in his arms was gone and he felt cool again. The shirt he had been wearing was still drenched and it stuck to his skin uncomfortably. His mind was as crisp as ever and of course, he was pissed. That damn pureblood had finished the fucking Blood Tie and now Zero was one of the things he hated most. True Zero felt like crying, and he did feel like he was about to break down into tears, but he didn't feel like dying. For the first time in two months, he wasn't expecting death lurking around the corner. What was better, he wasn't expecting to eat the next human that walked by.

He was still pissed though. Even if he was grateful for having his life saved, he was still upset by three things. One: Nobody had told him of this 'cure/curse' (He called it that because being a pureblood vampire was a curse in his opinion.) Two: Kaname had not asked his permission to make him into a pureblood vampire. Three: He was a freaking pureblood leech!

He glanced around the room to see if Kaname was nearby but instead found that Kaname was nowhere to be found in his bedroom. Zero growled, wondering where the jerk went when suddenly some sort of instinct sparked up inside of him, and he was reaching with his mind, trying to find Kaname on campus. He was about to give up hope when he felt a familiar aura echo back at him. It was Kaname. And he was downstairs in one of the lounges.

Tossing the covers off of his sweaty body, Zero huffed, deciding it wasn't best if he saw Kaname now. He could feel fresh emotions building up inside of him, and if tension still hated mankind, he would end up saying things that he himself hadn't even thought about saying.

_I'm going to use your shower,_ Zero thought smugly as he walked into the large private bathroom Kaname's bedroom connected to.

_Be my guest, _Kaname retorted softly.

Zero whirled around quickly. Was Kaname in the room with him? He scanned the room but came up blank. No…Kaname was still downstairs. So then…

_The Blood Tie keeps us connected, Zero. I can read your thoughts and you can read mine. We can feel each other's feelings and find each other no matter where the other is._

Well that solved the mystery of how Zero found Kaname just by thinking about him…

_Stay away from my head, you bastard_, Zero hissed in his mind.

There was a long pause and Zero thought Kaname was finished. _That's the problem,_ he finally began. _Believe me, I want to keep my thoughts a secret even more than you do. But…the Blood Tie is very strong. It takes a lot of mental training before you can start to block the others thoughts and feelings from coming through the tie…_

With a deep scowl on his face, Zero growled. _You bastard! You've taken my privacy away, my life, my everything!_ He glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

_I saved you,_ Kaname hissed. _I bothered to care about you so much that I gave up my privacy and blood to save your ass. You would think that the damsel in distress would be the tiniest bit grateful._

Zero was appalled. Kaname had just compared him to a girl! A girl in trouble! _I didn't ask you to save me. I was going to die. I had accepted that long ago. Now you've screwed everything up. I read that book! I know what's going to happen. I'm going to have stay by your side or get us both killed. That's how it works right? We start the Blood Tie, and suddenly we can't stand not to be in the others presence. Then, if one dies, the other does too from pure depression. _

_Zero!_ Kaname sounded pissed. _The Blood Tie is a sacred act. Do NOT degrade it just because you are frustrated that you are forever bound to me!_

Zero reached up and slammed his fist into the mirror without thinking. The glass splintered, some pieces sticking into his skin. He felt Kaname's guilt and pain slither around in his head. _I don't care what you think you did for me. In my mind, you have turned me into a bigger monster than I would have been as a Level E._

Kaname was alarmed. _You aren't going to try anything stupid are you?_

Suicide? Was he kidding Zero? _You've got to be kidding me! Suicide is the coward's way out. Just because I hate your guts and wish to kill you doesn't mean I'd kill myself._

Zero was so conflicted. When he felt Kaname's sadness flow through the Blood Tie, he really understood the pureblood in that moment. Kaname truly did care for the silver-haired teen. So much, that he formed a Blood Tie, something that he knew Zero would hate him for. Zero cared for the pureblood too. Sometimes, he fooled himself into thinking he was in love with the older boy. But Yuuki loved Kaname and she had a better chance with him than Zero ever would. Zero wanted Yuuki to be happy so much, that he was willing to push his own feelings aside for her infatuation with Kaname. If she was happy, then he would be happy. Besides, Zero would bet his whole entire pureblooded being that Kaname saved Zero for Yuuki.

With that thought in mind, he stomped out of the bathroom and started his way down the large flight of stairs. In the end of his thinking, he had only succeeded in making himself even more pissed off than before. He didn't even glance at Kaname when he passed him; he just wrenched the door open and rushed out. Kaname caught up to him quickly. The silver light of the now rising moon cast around Zero making him glow in the night.

"Where are you going?" Kaname asked as he ran along side the silver-haired teen.

"To see the chairman!" He growled. He wanted to vent to someone and that someone was the chairman. If anyone knew what to do, it was the chairman.

111

Chapter 4

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Yuuki ushered Yori into the chairman's office. She had bright smile on her face, determined to get Zero out of her mind. It was better if she didn't think about it now. Right now, she had other things to attend to and they could go by a lot smoother if she wasn't depressed about Zero.

The chairman looked up from his papers and smiled at the confused girl being pushed into the room. "Welcome, Yori," he greeted her and extended his hand. She took it and smiled back nervously. "Why do you look so nervous? Yuuki _did _tell you about why she brought you here, right?" If she didn't tell her why she was here, then there was no way she could have the position of being a perfect.

Yori nodded and laughed slightly. "I'm sorry. She did tell me, but coming to your office is…nervous-making I guess. I never did like being sent to the principal's office." She giggled nervously at her own fears and glanced around the tidy room. For some reason she had been expecting something more…exotic than what this was. The way the chairman always acted and the way Yuuki described her foster father, it was only natural that she think he was slightly eccentric.

"Yori, Yuuki wants you to become a perfect along-side her and Zero." He smiled gently at her trying to clam her nerves. Her hands were shaking slightly, sweat was forming on her brow, and she was biting her lip. She looked as if she was about to stroke out any minuet now.

"Yes." She smiled back, her nerves beginning to clam. At least she stopped biting her lip. "I would love to be given such an honor."

The chairman nodded. "Well, Yori, this decision is not to be made lightly. Becoming a perfect is a burden in most cases. A…baby-sitting job almost."

She wrinkled her brows, confusion wiping out all her nervousness. "Baby-sitting who?"

He ignored her question. "I want to give you time to think about it. If you do decide to become a perfect, there are responsibilities that cannot be ignored. You will have to stay up late, walking the school grounds, watch over the night class and make sure none of the day class students get too close, and most important of all, keep the secret of Cross Academy by all means necessary."

Yori's mind was reeling. "Secret?" she questioned. She shook her head. "Sir, I would be fine staying up late. It's almost 1 am now anyway. Personally, I don't fawn all over the night class like some of the other students do. And I've always prided myself on keeping secrets."

"Yori, it would be best if you thought this over-"

She interrupted him. "This morning, Yuuki came to me and asked me if I would like to be a perfect. She told me of all the responsibilities the perfects have to go by, and I understand them completely, sir. If you need my help as a perfect, then I would like to begin as soon as possible." When she got down to business, Yori was all woman. She was nothing like the scared little girl who was forced into the office.

The chairman smiled widely. "She's a soldier isn't she?" He smiled at Yuuki who was looking at her friend with a soft smile. Yori had always been that way. She could be playful at times but most of the time it was all business.

"Well, then." The chairman sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. "We should start talking about what you don't know about Cross Academy. You see-"

It was then that everyone's attention was suddenly pulled towards yelling. At first they could barely make sense of what was being said but as it grew closer, they knew it was Zero.

"You bastard!" Zero was yelling. From the sounds of it, he was at the end of the hall and drawing closer and closer with every second.

"Zero! It was an accident!" That was Kaname. He sounded…desperate.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses!"

"But, Zero-"

"NO!"

"Zero! You are angry right now, I understand! But listen, it was for your own good and I never intended it to go this far! I was going to pretend like it never happened, in fact!"

"Pretend it never happened?! Where the hell do you get off, you bastard? How could you, walking around, feeling my emotions being tied to me without me even knowing!" With that, Zero tossed the door aside and rushed in, pushing past Yuuki and Yori to glare at the chairman. "Do you know what that bastard did to me?" He asked incredulously. Yuuki grabbed Yori's arm, taking the confused girl to the side of the room. When Zero got mad people got hurt.

"Who is he calling a bastard?" Yori asked as she looked at the seething Zero. Yuuki jerked her head towards Kaname who looked torn between anger and guilt.

The chairman began sweating. He gulped, frightened by Zero's anger. With his enhanced senses, Zero could smell the fear on the older man. "You knew! You knew what he did to me!"

"Zero, its not that bad, you see-"

Trying to reason with the boy was a stupid idea. "It's not that bad?" Zero shouted as he grabbed the chairman's collar. "Not that bad?" He pulled the chairman closer. "I don't think you understand how bad it is!"

The chairman pulled back. He cast a sideways glance towards Yuuki and Yori. "Zero, please calm down. We have a guest."

Zero stiffened and looked at Yori who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Oh." He spoke and the sound was only halfway controlled. His voice still shook with anger. "Hello, Yori. Nice to see you again."

Yori nodded slightly. "Hello, Zero. I wish I could say the same."

"Yori was about to learn about the secret of Cross Academy," the chairman said lightly as he pried Zero's hand away from his shirt. He carefully sat down and motioned for Yori to take her seat again. Hesitantly, she did as was instructed. Yuuki shook her head and slapped Zero's arm. The silver-haired teen barely noticed. Even if his cells hadn't been rebuilt so he was more durable he wouldn't have noticed. The chairman's words were so shocking that he had checked out of reality for a moment.

"Why is she learning about us?" Kaname asked breaking Zero from his trance. _Are you all right?_ He was worried about Zero. The Blood Tie wasn't perfectly stable right now. In the first few days of sharing blood, the Blood Tie could do anything. Zero could die right this very instant without any warning. When Zero's thoughts were suddenly discontinued, Kaname had immediately thought the worst. On the entire way over, the Blood Tie had been shut down. When Zero learned about Yori learning the secret, his mind had shut down, and Kaname's heart had stopped for a whole few seconds before Zero snapped back to reality.

Zero growled lowly. _Get out of my head, jerk!_ He was back to being pissed off again. He felt guilty when he felt a brief wave of hurt echo through the Blood Tie. _Ugh. This stupid Blood Tie is going to make me sick. _He felt Kaname's unvoiced agreement.

"Yori is going to be the newest perfect!" The chairman was back to being his regular perky self. "Yuuki seems to be tired of Zero running off during the times when he should be working so she put in a good word for Yori." He smiled brightly at Yori.

"And you're okay with that?" Zero didn't like this idea very much. "Why should another person have to know about the evils of this damn school?"

The chairman frowned. He hated when Zero called his precious students evil. "I'm sorry Zero. But Yuuki is concerned about what is going to happen to you after you…well…die…" He said the last word carefully.

Zero sighed. Right. Yuuki didn't know about what had happened between him and Kaname. If Zero had his way, she would never know. In fact, she would go through her entire life thinking Zero was going to fall and become a Level E. The thought of tricking Yuuki made him feel disgusted with himself.

"Zero's going to die?" It was Yori who broke the silence. Yuuki was staring at her feet, forcing back tears. Kaname was debating whether or not to tell Yuuki and Zero was too busy ranting at himself. "Do you have cancer or lupus or some deadly flesh eating virus?" She looked generally sad at the thought of a dying Zero but her eyes were shining. The eyes of a scientist.

"I could only wish it was something like that," Zero mumbled. Kaname glared at him.

"That was uncalled for."

Zero glared back at him. "I think it was called for. After all, what I am now is worse than a deadly flesh eating virus."

Kaname growled lowly. "Will you just shut up about it!"

"What? Am I insulting you?" Zero retorted.

"When you insult me, aren't you insulting yourself?" Zero was suddenly depressed-being reminded of the Blood Tie was bad enough, but being reminded that he was a pureblood almost made him want to jump in a pool of acid.

"Guys!" Yuuki called. "Will you let chairman explain to Yori please? The night class will be out in an hour or so and I'm sure it will take that long to answer all of her questions."

Kaname nodded solemnly while Zero merely glared.

"Yori," the chairman began seriously. "What I am about to tell you cannot be told to anyone else outside. No one in the day class must know the Night Class's secret. If you tell anyone about what I am about to say, we will wipe your memory clean." Yori nodded. The chairman took a deep breath and looked her dead in the eyes. "The Night Class, is a class made up of vampires."

Yori's eyes widened. "But there are no such thing as vampires…" she tried.

"Unfortunately there are," Zero murmured. Kaname elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't interrupt." He ordered. Zero rolled his eyes.

"What're you going to do? Turn me into a vampire?" Zero scoffed sarcastically. Kaname didn't comment. He knew that if he did, Zero would go back into his moping mood until something else came up that he could make a sardonic remark about.

The chairman told Yori about the history of vampires and how to become an ex-human. He also explained the different types of vampires. "Kuran-sempai is a pureblood?" Yori asked slowly. The chairman nodded.

"Zero is a…an ex-human. That means that he was bitten by a pureblood and forcibly turned into a vampire." With a sad note in his voice, he explained the sad fate of ex-humans. He told her everything, from a briefing of the history of vampires and how they came to be, to vampire hunters, and taming vampires. By the time he finished it was well past 2 a.m. and Yuuki had already left to take the Night Class back to their dorms.

Yori-surprising everyone with her determined face-had tears in her eyes by the end. "Zero…that's so sad." She had been friends with him for a while. They weren't close but they were close enough for her to cry over his death.

Zero sighed and patted her head. "Don't cry. Crying doesn't solve anything. It just makes me feel bad for my fate hurting your feelings." It was the same speech he had given Yuuki many times. "I've got a long ways to go before I'm dead, so don't worry." Kaname, who was currently leaning against a wall, looked mildly surprised at this calm side of Zero. He had only ever seen the angry side and the depressed side. It was nice to see him being a comforter.

"You should go get some sleep. It's not good for your health to stay up so late carrying all this information around." The chairman was just trying to get her out of the way so he could finally talk to Zero and Kaname alone. Yori nodded and quickly made her way out of the office.

"Now, what seems to be the problem, Zero? Kaname?"

"We've got a huge problem." Kaname started.

Zero finished for him. "The damn bastard turned me all the way pureblood."

111

Chapter 5

111

"I told you to tell him about it, not turn him into a pureblood!" The chairman scolded angrily as he glared at Kaname. Rarely did he ever get angry with the pureblood but he thought that this time called for anger. He had known Kaname for several years now, and over time, he  
realized how lonely Kaname was. Being a pureblood, he aged very slowly, and unless he were to find or make a pureblood companion, he was doomed to loneliness for a long time. The chairman had not missed it when Kaname fell in love with Zero. Of course at the time he had not realized that Kaname was so desperate for a companion that he would change Zero against his will.

"Wait a second," Zero snapped as he leaned across the desk to glare at the chairman. "You knew he had started this!" he accused loudly. The chairman should have been baffled, asked how in the world this had happened, but instead he started yelling at Kaname. Was everyone in the world against him?

The chairman shook his head. "He did everything of his own accord, Zero. He came to me shortly afterwards and I had no idea that he was planning on starting a Blood Tie. If I had known he was going to do this…" He glared at Kaname.

Kaname felt unusually hated at the moment. As he sank into a chair he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of the pounding headache Zero was currently giving him. Naturally Zero was using every bit of the Blood Tie he could to torture Kaname. He was throwing his emotions at the older boy and shouting random curses in his head so loud, Kaname thought his head was going to burst.

"It was an accident," he moaned pitifully as the pain in his head grew.

Zero glared at him furiously. "Accident? It was an accident you turned me into a common vampire and finished the job? It's an accident that we are now tied together in some freaky vampire curse?"

The chairman felt left out, as if he was missing something. "Please explain what happened, please."

Zero slammed himself into a chair and began speaking. "I went to the Moon Dorms because I was skipping class and Yuuki would find me anywhere else I went." He stopped a moment and looked at the chairman warily. Perhaps he thought that being turned into a pureblood was more than enough punishment for skipping class. "I _was_ going to just sit down in the lounge but there was a book in the library that caught my attention-all gold and just thrown out there. I read about the Blood Tie in there. Naturally-"

"What do you mean, 'naturally'? You didn't ask me about it at all, you just attacked me!" Kaname was glaring now. He was fed up with the abuse of the Blood Tie. "It was his own fault!" He turned to the chairman now, begging for someone to take his side. "He attacked me and I instinctively pushed him back! I didn't know that he was going to start coughing up blood and I certainly didn't know he was going to cough it up in my _mouth_!"

The chairman sighed. He motioned for the two to be quiet for a moment while he thought.

Kaname had started the Blood Tie to save Zero. He had seen the pain he and Yuuki were going through because of Zero's impending demise and wanted to end the suffering each one of them was gong through. He sacrificed his privacy and risked eternal hatred from the person he had fallen in love with just to help a few people out. Zero had gone to the Moon Dorms because of his own mistake and ended up fighting Kaname. Nothing could have happened to prevent Zero from finding out about the Blood Tie at that point and a few mistakes later, Zero's blood wound up in Kaname mouth and the Blood Tie finished itself.

"So…it was an honest mistake," the chairman concluded. He looked up at Zero and saw a piercing glare covering disbelief and shock. The chairman immediately tried to calm the boy down. "Zero, please understand that Kaname started the Blood Tie for everyone's sake. Yuuki was hurting, I was hurting, he was hurting, and many people were in danger by your staying here. You can't blame Kaname for doing his job as a pureblood."

"But-" Zero stared down at his feet. He saw the reason in the chairman's statement but he didn't want to agree. If he agreed then he would have to accept his current state. Acceptance of being a pureblood vampire was not an option when you were originally part of a long line of vampire hunters.

"Now, there is no changing what happened, so let's not keep talking about what might have been." The chairman didn't want to dwell on how it happened for long. It would only upset Zero more. "What's done is done and there is no going back. Let's get down to business." The chairman thought for a moment, trying to sort everything out in his mind. "I think we should start by explaining pureblood vampires to Zero. Since Zero is going to be one from now on, I think he should understand what stance a pureblood holds in the vampire community. Kaname?" He figured it would be best that the actual pureblood vampire should be the one to explain.

Kaname cleared his throat and looked at Zero. The silver-haired teen was still staring at his feet but he knew he had the other boy's attention. "Pureblood Vampires have rule over all the other vampires in today's vampire community. There are very few these days since most clans have either merged with lower class vampire families or have been killed by vampire hunters…" Kaname decided to leave out the part where the Kiryuu family was the ones who did most of the killing. "The Kuran clan is the most powerful of these and when I was just a boy, my parents expressed how important it was that I mated and carried on the Kuran name." He reached over to Zero, taking the younger boy by surprise and lifted up the edge of his shirt.

"Hey!" Zero yelped and swatted Kaname's hand away, embarrassment and anger echoing over the Blood Tie. Kaname scowled, grabbed both of Zero's wrist and yanked up his shirt. A little tattoo of a crescent moon rested on his hip.

"This is the sign of the Kuran Clan. Besides the scent of your blood this is an indicator as to which clan you belong to. Of course, mine is slightly different." Kaname lifted the edge of his shirt and revealed the same crescent moon. The only difference was a star hanging off the edge. "This shows that I was born into the clan. If someone were to catch your scent they wouldn't know whether you were born into the clan or were united to another clan member by swapping blood until they saw the sign of the Kuran Clan.

"As you already know, there are different types of vampires. Aristocrats have a few human genes in their DNA that were never changed. Most cases are due to purebloods falling for humans or common vampires. Common vampires are vampires who have humanoid genes in their blood. They are typically born that way and sometimes have aristocrat parents who donated more of their humanoid genes than vampire genes. More often than not they are born into normal common vampires family. Ex-humans, as you already know, are humans who were bit by pureblood vampires. Lastly, there are Level E's, ex-humans whose humanoid genes were corrupted so much, their animal instincts are activated so they lose their minds." Zero shivered, thinking about what could have been his fate. "All of these are under pureblood rule. Since pureblood's are so rare and few these days, there isn't a dictatorship or fight over power anymore. Whenever a lower class vampire comes into contact with a pureblood however, they tend to want to follow whatever the pureblood commands. This is why the Night Class is under my control and does whatever I command."

Zero paled. "The Night Class…they can't find out about this…"

Kaname nodded. "I understand." It would be bad if the Night Class found out that Kaname had saved the person who repeatedly looked for reasons to kill them. It would be even worse if they knew they were under his command.

Zero sighed. "Yuuki would be devastated…happy that I'm not dying sure…but she's in love with Kaname…so she wouldn't like me to be closer to him than she is…and I don't want to hurt her with this…she can't find out either…" He sounded crazy, talking to himself with such a monotonous, depressed tone.

Kaname bit his lower lip as he examined the boy. Right now, he felt a block in head. It scared him because they weren't connected. Some instinct, born of the Blood Tie, made him panic each time his Blood Mate wasn't connected to him.

"My job as a perfect would suffer too if anyone else knew…the vampires would complain no doubt…" Zero was still talking to himself. He had worked himself into a strange sort of depression. "And then I'd have to move into the Moon Dorms along side of them…"

The chairman looked with sadness upon the boy. "We'll make sure your secret is safe, Zero. You can stay with the humans, or even in my office as long as the vampires don't know…okay?"

Zero didn't seem to hear him.

Kaname patted Zero's hand comfortingly. "We'll have to keep the secret. If it somehow leaks…then it's only a matter of time before the counsel finds out and then they'll sentence me to Mark you…"

Zero looked confused in his dazed depression. "Mark?" When Kaname had spoken the word it sent shivers down Zero's spine. Somewhere deep inside his mind, it registered that this word meant something for the both of them. He puzzled over it for a second, wondering why such a small word could mean something important.

Kaname explained hesitantly. "Marking is the process where two vampires mate. The Kuran Clan symbol would change on your body so people would know you were mated to me and other vampires would be able to smell our completed bond. It's the most sacred act a vampire can do."

Zero's head snapped up. "You mean we'd have to-to sleep together?" His voice cracked angrily.

"In short yes. But the whole process is more detailed. I'd have to take your blood during…the, uh, process and you'd have to take my blood at the same time. It's sort of like a vampire marriage ceremony…only without witnesses and a priest…"

Zero's face heated up. He had once heard of Marking but at that time, the word meant nothing. Now it meant a whole lot more. It was something so simple, yet it would change his life forever. "H-how do we keep this from the counsel?"

Kaname thought for a moment. "Many of the other students have ties to the Vampire Counsel. If the Night Class doesn't know, then the counsel will be less likely to find out. So we keep the secret away from them. The only other way that they could find out would be to catch the scent of your blood but if that happens then we could always pass it off as my blood."

Zero suddenly wanted to return to his little depressed corner inside his mind. Reality was much too harsh for him right now. He was pureblood vampire, tied to the one person he hated/loved, and had to keep a secret away from everyone lest he be sentence to screw with Kaname.

The chairman cleared his throat. Zero nearly jumped out of his skin at that moment-he had forgotten that the old man was still here.

"That leaves us with one problem," he stated. "The counsel visits every six months to check on the progress of the Night Class. We've already made blood tablets, gotten them to interact with the Day Class students a little and now they are contemplating on letting the Day Class know the secret of the Night Class. While I'm thrilled by this news, I am a little worried about you both. The counsel had gotten terribly nosey lately and during their last visit, they visited each of the classes of the Day Class students and Night class students. It was mostly to make sure none of the Night Class students had been doing anything they weren't supposed to be doing and to make sure I was keeping the humans safe from harm." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "But they've got a pureblood on the counsel and if he even gets a whiff of Zero as he just walked by, I guarantee they'd be shutting the school down in an instant, no questions asked."

Kaname bit his lip again and thought. "Maybe we could send Zero away that day."

Zero shook his head. "Can we not talk about this anymore? I'm getting dizzy from all the information." He clutched his head and thought about happier things, forcing himself to forget about Marking, and being a pureblood for just one second.

Kaname stood up from his chair. "Well then. I must go back to the Moon Dorms and let the other students know that you are okay. They are probably wondering what happened after I forced them to leave." He walked to the door and sighed. "Goodnight, Zero. I hope you sleep well," he added and walked away.

Zero's eye twitched. "Damn him…thinking he can win me over just like that!" He balled his fists up and let out an annoyed groan. "I'm thirsty." He had not noticed it earlier but now his stomach was clenching and groaning, begging to be nourished. He mouth felt a little dry now too. He could feel his fangs poking into his lip as he spoke."

The chairman reached over his desk and poured a glass of water for Zero. As he pushed the glass towards the silver-haired teen, he dropped in a little tablet that made the water fizz and slowly turn a dark red color.

"Thanks…" Zero mumbled as he brought the glass to his lips.

No sooner had he tasted it, he spit it back out, right onto the white carpet beneath his feet. The chairman sighed, knowing the stain would be a bitch to get out.

"What the hell is this?" Zero asked as he screwed up his face in disgust. "It tastes horrible!"

The chairman's eyes grew and he gasped. "I'm sorry!" He grabbed the glass from Zero's hand. "I forgot. The only blood that you'll be able to drink from now on is Kaname's."

"What?" Zero's voice dropped down to a low growl as he fixed his eyes on the chairman.

"Because of the Blood Tie…and forgive me if I don't get everything right, I've never experienced one before…but something in the Blood Tie makes you dislike any other blood besides your…Blood Mate's. So the only way you will be able to drink blood is through Kaname. It will be the same for him too, so don't think you're getting the short end of the stick here." The chairman smiled, wanting Zero to feel better about his situation. Perhaps if he knew Kaname was suffering too he would feel better.

"I will never drink that son of bitch's blood!" Zero screeched as he stood from his chair, almost knocking it over in the process, and stomped over to one of the doors connecting to the office. "I'm taking the guest bedroom!" Zero snapped as he threw open the door and stepped inside. He slammed the door behind him.

"That went well…"

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Yuuki stared up at the ceiling of her dorm room. There was no way she could sleep now. Yori had been accepted as a perfect and tomorrow she would begin her new job with Yuuki. The excited girl smiled to herself as she imagined Yori and herself walking alongside the Night Class, protecting the humans from the vampires. It would be fun working with Yori. She would be all business and would never let the vampires get away with anything but when they were gone, she would laugh and giggle with Yuuki about boys, and other girl stuff.

The door to their room opened and Yori stepped in, trying to be quiet as she stepped over scattered clothes, notebooks and papers.

"I'm still awake, if you're trying to avoid waking me," Yuuki said with a small giggle.

Yori smiled in the dark at her friend. Even though Yuuki couldn't see it, she knew her friend was smiling.

"It went well, I suppose?" Yuuki asked, trying to be subtle about it. She wanted to know what Yori felt about it, but if she didn't want to talk about it because she was freaked out or too scared to, then she didn't want to upset her friend.

"It went well. It's a lot to carry, I'll admit, but…I'm glad you picked me, Yuuki. I know it must be hard on you, after all you've grown up with Zero, so it must be hard to know he's going to die soon. But it shows that you are coping and are preparing for what is to come by setting up my place as a perfect. I'm proud of you Yuuki."

"Thanks," Yuuki said slowly. She didn't think Yori would be so diligent about it. Perhaps the information hadn't set in yet. "Are you alright with all of this?" she asked cautiously.

"Of course I am. The Night Class hasn't hurt anyone yet and I'm chalking that up to what you and Zero have done so far. I want to help out as much as I can." She paused. "And if you are implying that I might be scared of the vampires, I'm not. They've been vampires for quite a while and we've existed beside them for just as long, so just because they aren't human, it doesn't change my opinion of them. To me, they are the same as they were yesterday when I didn't know their secret-the same stuck up creatures who love to bask in the limelight."

Yuuki laughed and shook her head. "Of course you would be so literal minded about all of this."

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the light atmosphere around them until finally Yuuki spoke.

"I've been thinking…since you're going to be the newest perfect, why don't we take a tour of the Moon Dorms tomorrow? Before the Night Class goes to class, I think we could sneak in a tour and introduce you to them. They're all pretty nice and all so I think it would be a good experience."

Yori nodded. "Sounds great," she said whole-heartedly. She tucked herself in bed and closed her eyes, willing herself to go to sleep, trying to ignore the feeling of adrenaline pumping through her veins. She couldn't wait to meet the vampires.

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Chapter 6

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Zero opened the door to the classroom and a harsh smell stung his nose. The human smell clung to everything in this building and it was beginning to make him grow lightheaded. Holding his breath he rushed to the back of the classroom where the burning scent of cinnamon was less intense. He cursed the little candle sitting on the edge of the teacher's desk and then cursed the teacher herself.

_Zero…I know you're a little mad at me right now, but do you mind keeping it down? I'm trying to sleep. _Kaname's voice echoed in his head.

I don't really care about you right now. I'm still pissed at you because of what you've made me. I mean, have you noticed my family line? I'm the last Kiryuu, the last Vampire Hunter in my family. I can't live up to my family name being a pureblood vampire! It wouldn't make any sense for me to go killing vampires while I myself am a **pureblood!**

Kaname forced his annoyance over the Blood Tie. Zero…I'm truly sorry. There is nothing we can do about it now though. There isn't a cure for a Blood Tie unless you count suicide as one.

Damn it! Just stop it. I can't take hearing your voice right now. I'm angry and I just broke part of my desk so just shut up and leave me alone!

Kaname immediately shut up. The silence in his mind told Zero that Kaname was attempting to sleep. For a whole moment, Zero was relieved. His body was relaxed and his mind wasn't being invaded by another person. It felt good to have his mind back to himself for a moment. He had spent the entire night and morning fighting with Kaname over the Blood Tie. It was an emotional battle really, neither one willing to be the first to speak about it, but after a while, Zero passed out from sheer exhaustion and got a good two hours of sleep. Zero took a deep breath, hardly even minding the harsh smell of the burning candle over his anger.

His relief vanished when a boy sat next to him. Yori and Yuuki took their places in front of his desk. The smell of human blood was in the air, almost as if someone had chopped off their arm and was bleeding to death in this very room. Zero's overly developed senses were on high alert, ready to pounce on the first human that turned their head wrong. His mouth was watering and his stomach was clenching. At first it was bearable, just like a few hours after you eat a full meal and you feel slightly hungry. The boy turned to him and smiled brightly.

"Hi, Zero!" the boy greeted. A huge wave of human scent washed over Zero's nostrils, the biggest part he could smell being blood.

Zero looked at him confusedly, his gaze landing on the boy's neck. He could see a little vein just under the boy's pale skin, pulsing lightly with the carefree throb of his heart. His mouth watered and his fangs extended, the overwhelming desire to bite the boy growing larger by the second.

"Oh, you don't remember me do you?" The boy chuckled nervously under the blank stare of Zero. "I'm Kai…your roommate? I don't expect you to remember me since you never actually staying in the room all that much."

Zero acted like he understood. "Right!"

"Kai!" The teacher yelled from the front of the room. "Stop talking and listen to the lesson!"

Kai's heart rate sped from the freight the teacher gave him. Zero's breath hitched as he heard the annoying thumping of the boy's heart. It made his stomach lurch and his muscles clench as if preparing for an attack. His mouth started to slowly open, his fangs longing for the tender neck of the boy, and his own heart rate picked up. Kai's hair fell over his neck, obscuring Zero's attack line. Instinct took over and his feral mind searched for the next best place for blood. Zero's eyes immediately fell on a small pulsing area in the boy's wrist. It seemed to call out to him.

Leaning closer and closer his mouth began to water even more.

He jerked back as a small wave of disapproval leaked over the Blood Tie.

_I was sure it wasn't me that was thirsty considering I was full yesterday. Zero, you need blood. The Blood Tie makes it so that you can only taste and enjoy my blood. And since you were changed yesterday, it's only natural that you are this thirsty after such a short period of time. Please come. I don't want you to kill anyone on your first official day as a pureblood._

That set Zero off. Anger flared up in him and he momentarily forgot his hunger. _You bastard! I will not drink from you! I refuse! I hate your guts and the fact that I share some sort of DNA with you now. I'll just drink the blood tablets…even if they taste horrible._

Kaname was getting irritated on his side. Zero _you are such a baby. Get over it. You are a pureblood now and you can't do anything about it. Drink from me, just a few sips of my blood and you'll be free to ignore me for the rest of the week until you need more blood._

Zero clenched his teeth, his hands gripping the desk tightly. How do you expect me to ignore you when you are in my head all the time!

Figure it out, Zero.

The desk splintered. Kai looked at his fuming neighbor nervously. It seemed as if Zero was getting ready to explode.

"You are such a bastard!" Zero yelled.

The teacher stopped teaching for a moment and turned around, her eyes wide with anger. "Zero Kiryuu!" She yelled at him. "Why are you using such horrible language in my classroom?"

Zero cursed Kaname in his head. "Well, um…you see it was…"

"Detention! Tonight, you will be cleaning the desks!" She clucked her tongue and turned around, going back to her lesson.

Yuuki turned around in her seat. "What was that?" she asked in a whisper. Yori turned her head slightly, wondering the same thing.

"I fell asleep and had a dream about vampires," he said sarcastically.

Beside him, Kai was trembling in fear.

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During his next class, Zero was good about not arguing with Kaname. Kaname had fallen asleep after Zero's outburst that had landed him in detention and pretty soon, Zero was able to concentrate on his work hard enough to ignore the smell of the humans. But as the day wore on, he found it pretty hard to concentrate on anything besides the loud heartbeats beside him. Every time a particularly sweet smelling person would walk by, his mouth watered and his eyes began to glow ominously. But somehow, Zero was able to keep his fangs away from them.

Kai followed Zero around like a lost puppy with wide brown eyes and an expectant expression. During every class, he would sit next to Zero, his heart thumping pleasantly in his chest all class period long. It drove Zero insane. The boy even talked to him every chance he got, his minty breath too close for Zero's comfort. The worst thing the boy had done had been when he tripped over a step and landed on Zero. They were sprawled on the ground, the human boy's chest pressed flush against Zero's. Not only could the silver-haired teen hear the boy's heart thrumming embarrassedly, but he could also feel the heartbeat. He wasn't sure how he got away from that incident. The next few minuets afterward were a blur.

Finally, it was the last class of the day and miraculously, Zero had managed not to lash out at anyone or rip their throats out. In his opinion, it was great accomplishment, one for the books, even.

The teacher at the front of the room stood directly in the middle of the room and looked at her students. "Today, class, we are blood typing." The teacher held up a needle. "Just prick your finger and-yes Zero?"

Zero had to come up with something fast. He couldn't possibly be in this room with thirty other students pricking their fingers and making them bleed. There would be no telling what would happen then but he was sure that it wouldn't be good. "I'm squeamish," he said loudly, earning a few chuckles from amused students. He didn't care so much about his pride as he did their lives right then though. "I can't stand the sight of blood. Yuuki knows, she's seen me pass out from the sight." He sent her a warning glare.

Yuuki nodded. "Yep. It's really bad, teacher. So, maybe he should step outside until we're done?" She smiled at Zero sadly. She too didn't want the other students to be in danger just because of a simple finger prick.

"Alright, Zero. You may step outside." The teacher held up the needle again and began explaining the process. Zero hurried outside before she could stab her finger with it."

Outside, Zero took a deep, steadying breath, contemplating whether or not to go see Kaname. He could do one of three things. He could hold out for as long as possible until he finally snapped and killed a student. That didn't appeal to him very much. Or he could down a few blood tablets that would taste like shit and leave him feeling horrible, but less hungry. Or he could go to Kaname. He picked the second choice. As soon as the classes let out, he would grab a few blood tablets and drink until he didn't feel the need to kill anyone.

The classroom door opened and guess who stepped out into the hallway? Kai.

"I don't like the sight of blood either," he said with a shrug as he stood in front of Zero embarrassedly. It was as if he didn't know whether or not to sit down on the floor or stand up.

Once again Zero heard that annoying thumping of the heart hammering inside the boy's chest. His stomach clenched and suddenly he had no control over his actions.

He pushed Kai against the wall, using his whole body to pin the boy down. One hand pressed against the boy's chest, just to feel the promising heartbeat, while the other wound its way into the boy's hair. Zero pulled gently on the hair, the boy's head falling back hesitantly.

"Z-Zero?" Kai breathed excitedly. "I-I didn't know you liked me like…this…"

Zero bent his head down, not caring about what the boy was saying as he opened his mouth and-

_Zero stop!_ Kaname's voice echoed in his head loudly.

_What? I was only…teasing…_

Zero sighed at his own lie and took a step back. "I'm sorry…I have to go…" Zero took a deep breath and started running down the hall, not wanting to inhale anymore of the human scent than he had to. He ran straight to the chairman's office.

The chairman wasn't there this time; so Zero flopped onto the couch with a loud sigh. His decision was made as soon as he had pinned the boy down. After the sun went down, Zero would make his way over to the Moon Dorms and see Kaname, whether he liked it or not. Even though he seemed like a total ass most of the time, he cared for the lives of the other students.

Turning on his side, he allowed himself to doze off for a bit until it was time for him to leave.

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Yuuki opened the door for her friend. The wide oak doors creaked ominously but her friend didn't seem the least bit afraid. Instead she looked slightly excited about entering the vampire's dwelling place.

Yori was jumping for joy on the inside so much, she couldn't help but grin outwardly as the doors creaked and she stepped inside.

"This is the foyer," Yuuki said informatively. She tugged her friend into a room on their left. The room was magnificently decorated with dark colors like black and red and blue. The couches looked expensive and modern but the carpet covering the floor looked ancient. "The symbol on the floor is the Kuran Clan symbol," Yuuki answered Yori's unvoiced question.

"Wow," Yori said breathlessly. "It's amazingly…expensive looking."

"Yeah," Yuuki agreed. "This is Lounge Room A, where most of the vampires gather when they want to just hang out. Lounge Room B is the same. The Library is over there, but it's nothing special since none of the vampires ever go in there."

"Are we going up the stairs?" Yori asked, examining the large staircase. It looked like a lot to climb.

"Yep!" Yuuki answered with a grin. She tugged her friend up the stairs and into the hallway where the vampire's rooms were.

She pulled her friend through so many hallways that Yori could hardly keep up. Secretly she hoped she didn't have to memorize any of this because if she did, she was going to fail at this new job miserably.

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"Kaname?" Zero opened the door slowly, not wanting to frighten the older boy.

"I know," Kaname whispered as he grabbed Zero and pulled them farther into the room. "Make it quick because the more blood that you take, the more likely it is that the Night Class will smell my blood and that would be bad for us."

Zero nodded. The moonlight was behind Kaname, making his lithe figure a silhouette against the window. He stepped closer to Kaname and brushed the older male's hair back.

He didn't have to search at all for the perfect place to bite down on because it was already programmed into his mind by the Blood Tie. His fangs sank in, directly over Kaname's most sensitive area of neck.

"Ah!" Kaname gasped as he brought his hands up to grab onto Zero's shoulders. He pulled the shorter boy against his body, making the experience slightly more sensual than it already was.

Zero was too lost in Kaname's warm blood to notice anything else but the savory taste of pure blood.

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"And that is Kaname's room," Yuuki finished.

"He's got like…the best room in the whole building," Yori pointed out, looking at the large double doors that led to Kaname's room.

"Because he's a pureblood. He gets practically whatever he wants just because of his social standing. Cool huh?" Yuuki beamed. "I've only been inside once and it's super amazing. He's got his own private bathroom, a sitting area and a bedroom separated from everything else. It's brilliant! Now, before the others get up, I'll race you down the stairs?"

Yori nodded and smirked, knowing she could beat Yuuki at anything. Yuuki, seeing her best friend's knowing smirk, stuck out her tongue and tore down the hall, ruffling the rug as she did.

Yori couldn't move. She had heard something, she was sure. What was that strange noise…?

It was coming from Kaname's room.

Slowly she cracked open the door, just wanting to see what was going on, even though she knew something bad was going to greet her eyes. For some strange reason the phrase, "Curiosity Killed The Cat," flashed across her mind.

In the room, she saw two figures, curled against each other; one with its head thrown back, the other with its face buried in the others neck.

Zero pulled back, blood dripping all down his front and Kaname's neck.

Yori screamed.

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Chapter 7

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Right before her very eyes, Yori saw something her virgin eyes couldn't manage to process. There beside the window, was Zero and Kaname. Only, Zero had his fangs sinking deeper and deeper into Kaname's neck while the blood poured down Kaname's neck and into Zero's hungry mouth. Zero's hands were clutching the back of Kaname's shirt, pulling him closer and closer until their bodies were curved against each other. Kaname's head was tossed back with his mouth open as a soft moan escaped his perfect lips. Bringing his hands up, he fisted one hand in Zero's silver hair and the other was placed on the small of his back.

Yori screamed.

Zero yanked his head back. Kaname cursed as he felt Zero's fangs slide against his skin in a very unpleasant way but quickly recovered when he saw the screaming girl. She was staring at them with wide unfocused eyes as she pointed at them in a horrified manor. Kaname wondered if she was even seeing them anymore. He snapped his head towards Zero who was trying to calm her down.

"Yori!" Zero managed to yell over her screaming. "It's okay, it's okay," he soothed as he stepped forward. "It's just me, Zero. You know me, and you know you aren't in any danger so just please be quiet." He made a claming gesture with his hands.

At his name she stopped screaming and her eyes refocused. "Z-ero?" she choked out. Her eyes roamed over his figure, taking in the blood and fangs just as she fell backwards and into the arms of a surprised Aido.

_SHIT!_ Zero screamed in his mind. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaname flinch. He felt a pang echo through the Blood Tie but didn't have time to dwell on it as he suddenly realized that there were many pairs of eyes on him. All of them were wide with surprise as they gazed upon the fanged Zero. Zero's eyes were wide too, but instead of surprise, fear reflected in his violet irises.

_Zero, this isn't good,_ Kaname whispered in their minds.

Zero glared at him from the corner of his eye. _No, really? I thought we just won the freaking lottery!_

Kaname ignored his sarcasm. _We can get through this…I hope…_

_Shut the fuck up! Kaname, I don't want to hear it right now. Sometimes, a person doesn't always need comfort. Sometimes, it's best just to let them deal!_

No matter how much he was screaming angrily in his mind, his body was rigid with fear. The other vampires were staring at him disgustedly, obviously coming to the conclusion that he was one of them. They weren't too happy that the one who tormented them was of the same race as them.

Aido was the first to find his voice. "Zero Kiryuu…is an ex-human?" he said slowly, tasting the words strangely. He let Yori fall to the floor, completely forgetting her existence for a moment. She sagged to the floor with a soft _'thud.'_

_Do they not know about Blood Ties?_ Zero asked Kaname.

_No, I don't think so. Since they are only aristocrats, they don't have to learn the pureblood rules all purebloods have to live by. Most likely, they've heard of the Blood Tie and know what it's capable of but don't how it's started. Either that or the teachings of the Blood Tie didn't make a big enough impression for them to be able to drag up enough information to make the connection._

Perfect, Zero said sarcastically. _They won't know about me being a pureblood and tied to you in a strange mental way and will kill me because they think I'm a freaking ex-human! Peachy._

Kaname looked at Zero, thankful that they only thought he was an ex-human, but he was still worried about where this would be going. From the looks in the eyes of the other vampires, it wouldn't be good.__

"Does the chairman know about this?" Aido asked quietly.__

Kaname nodded stiffly.__

Aido flushed red with anger. "And how long has this been going on?" he asked hotly. "Long enough for the rogue vampire to come crawling to the pureblood for help I suppose! He's been given special treatment hasn't he? Gotten to live along side the humans and putting them in danger! I can't believe you would trust this…this _ex-human,_" he spit the word out as if it were laced with poison, "with Yuuki's life? I will not stand for this. If you wont do anything about it, then I will." The blonde vampire turned around and grabbed his cousin by the arm, tugging him through the crowd of shocked vampires.

Kaname didn't blame them for being shocked. Usually no one had enough guts to stand up to him. He guessed Aido felt very strongly about this. Grabbing Zero by the arm, he followed after the aristocratic vampire. As he passed through the crowd, he tugged a surprised and tired Shiki after him.

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"Please, Chairman Cross!" Zero was near sobbing at this point. His hands scraped across the top of the desk, his eyes wide and pleading as he looked upon the chairman. "I'll die!"

Aido scoffed unpleasantly. Kaname knew that Aido thought ex-humans were pitiful creatures but he also knew that Aido would stop at nothing to protect the humans from the vile creature. It probably had more to do with it being Zero than anything else though.

"Zero…" The chairman bit his lower lip, looking around the room at the clearly agitated vampires. Aido, Kain, Kaname, and for some reason, Shiki were all in the room. Aido and Kain were glaring, Kaname looked uncomfortable, and Shiki looked like he was about to pass out from sheer exhaustion. But then again, when did the tired boy ever not look like that?

"It's not fair to let him stay around the humans!" Aido shouted. "Especially because he's an ex-human! Us aristocrats have more control than him but even we have accidents!" Kain nodded. Kaname resisted the urge to snort. Kain merely nodded because it would make Aido happy. Kain was too nice to his cousin for his own good. If he wasn't careful, maybe one day Kaname's hand would just slip and…

"But you rarely exercise that control!" Zero snapped. "That's why you have 'accidents', because you go looking for trouble." Zero looked at the chairman again, his eyes swimming. "Haven't I been good so far? I've been a damn ex-human for four years without one problem!"

"What about that time with Yuuki?" Kaname blurted. He flinched when he felt a painful wave trace over the Blood Tie.

"She came back to me after that! She wanted to help me afterwards." Zero was struggling to defend himself. The vampires were becoming more and more convinced that he should die by the second. Yes, it had gone from moving dorms, to just a plain life or death situation.

Kaname was agitated right now. He could picture Yuuki offering her neck to Zero and it pissed him off. Zero was no one's but his! He was almost tempted to leave the room to go and murder the girl right then but he forced the picture into something different, one with Zero straddling him, fangs sinking into his neck while Kaname grasped at his shirt.

_Gross, you sick perv._ Zero was not happy that Kaname was possessive over him. That picture was going to be burned in his mind forever.

"Anyway, she won't be offering herself up to me anymore anyways so she doesn't matter right now." He wanted to hurry away from the subject of Yuuki before Kaname did anything irrational, like blab about the Blood Tie to the other vampires. After all, they were working so hard to keep it and right now, they were balancing on a fine line, in which they could fall either way.

"He doesn't belong with them," Kain said simply.

Aido nodded vigorously. "Yeah. He belongs with us now."

Zero placed his forehead on the desk, fighting back tears. "I'll do it! I'll kill myself if you put me with them! If I don't kill myself first, then they'll have done it themselves!" _And I'll drag you down to hell with me, Kuran!_

Kaname straightened. "Why don't we have a vote, right here right now?"

The Chairman knew it was fruitless but he still nodded. "Okay. All those in favor of Zero Kiryuu moving to the Night Class?" Aido and Kain raised their hands confidently. "All those who think he should stay with the humans?" Shiki and Kaname raised their hands.

Ah, so that was why Shiki was here. Kaname was a devious little vampire.

"It's a tie! It should go to us!" Aido shouted at the chairman.

"I'm a pureblood, so my vote counts as two people," Kaname proclaimed. Aido turned to him, his mouth agape.

The chairman sighed. "And yet, I am still the headmaster. Zero, I'm sorry, but we made a deal. As long as they didn't know your secret you were to stay with the humans. A deal is a deal."

"B-but, we don't have any rooms!" Kaname tried.

The chairman shook his head sadly. "Then let him stay in your room, Kaname. It will probably be safer if you protected him anyway." He lifted his head and glared straight at Aido and Kain. "But under no circumstances are you to torment, or attempt to kill Zero Kiryuu. Understand?"

Kaname glared at them too. "Understand?" he asked again for the chairman when they didn't answer.

Aido looked down at his feet. "If you command it as such, Kaname-sama," he said grudgingly.

"I'll keep him in order," Kain suggested as he pulled his cousin out of the room. Shiki followed, yawning as he did.

When the door was shut, Zero slid all the way down to floor, laying spread eagled on his stomach. "Just do it!" he commanded to Kaname. "Kill me now!"

Kaname stooped beside him. "I'm sorry, Zero. I tried."

Zero was quiet for a moment. "Yeah. I guess you did, even though you did a crap job of it. Thanks." He chanced a smile at the other pureblood and saw Kaname smiling back. "Now kill me," he said effectively making the smile drop.

Rolling his eyes, Kaname yanked Zero to his feet. The silver-haired teen had not expected to be pulled so forcefully and as he was jerked to his feet, he lost his balance, falling straight onto Kaname.

They landed on the floor on a tangled heap. Zero's head slammed into Kaname's, giving both of them a monstrous headache, amplified by the Blood Tie.

"I hate you," Zero mumbled.

"I know," Kaname groaned.

The chairman merely chuckled.

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Notes: Well. Here's the first seven chapters. The eighth will be up soon!


	2. Chapter 2

TS: I would have had this up sooner but I got too busy for my own good. The newest Harry Potter movie came out and I really wanted to see that, but only after I had re-read the sixth book. So that took up most of my time. Hehe. Sorry. But I don't want to keep you waiting so here you go.

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Zero unlocked the door to his dorm quietly. He had to keep in mind that it was the middle of the night and he had a roommate. The first thing Zero did when he entered the room was strip himself of his shirt. His nice white shirt had been stained with blood and if Zero knew blood stains, he was sure it would never come out.

"Zero."

Zero jumped and spun around, coming face to face with Kaname. He reared back, not enjoying the closeness of their faces.

"What do you want, pureblood?" Zero asked. The nickname was not laced with the usual malice. It was merely a force of habit that the name came tumbling from his mouth. Kaname seemed to understand that Zero was coming to terms with his being a pureblood. Although the fact that he was forever tied to Kaname seemed to be taking it's time sinking in. Zero had always been that way. The things he couldn't change he would accept. He didn't have to be happy about it but he wasn't going to deny it.

"I want to help you pack." Kaname stood there, sensing that if he were to reach out to help he might have his hand bitten off.

Zero rolled his eyes. Honestly, Kaname was so protective. He could tell it was because he knew he would be returning to the room that Kai slept in and was too possessive to allow Zero a moment alone. Apparently Kai's earlier submission to Zero had not been forgotten.

"I can do this on my own," Zero whispered. He didn't want to wake Kai up. Kaname wondered why Zero was not simply using the Blood Tie to talk with him but of course Zero was trying his best to forgo use of the bond between them. "Please." Zero's eyes were filled with an emotional pain as he spoke. "I really just need to be on my own for a minuet."

Kaname reached forward, to do what, neither one was sure, but he dropped his hand awkwardly and stepped outside. "I won't be far," he said warningly, shooting a concerned glare towards the bed that held the sleeping Kai.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Zero went back to packing. Of course, he didn't have much in his room save for his clothes and few sentimental objects but he figured he could draw out the motion long enough to give him time to think. He folded each article of clothing carefully; even restarting every once in a while when something wasn't exactly perfect.

"Zero?" A sleepy voice called. Kai rolled over in his bed and rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Zero sat down on his bed and looked around. "I've been moved to the Night Class," he admitted as he picked up a picture of himself on his first day of High School.

"Oh. I guess that means we won't be roommates anymore, huh?"

Stupid question.

"Yeah. Listen…about today…I was not myself today. Don't get me wrong, you're really cute for a guy and all but you aren't my type." Zero watched Kai sleepily roll his head to the side, trying to wrap his tired mind around the information.

"What is your type?" he asked.

Zero scoffed. "Apparently, brooding, stuck up, rich kids who have no life other than torturing others."

Kai nodded and closed his eyes. "That's good…" he mumbled before falling back asleep.

Zero sighed and began packing once again. By the time he had finished, he had managed to kill a whole hour just packing a few items. He only packed his bed clothes, and his regular clothes. His uniforms were unneeded as he would soon be wearing the white uniform that the vampires always wore. As he slung his bag over his shoulders, he braced himself for the Moon Dorms.

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The air was tense as he opened the door to the moon dorms. Even though no one was around to gawk or sneer at him, he could tell that his very presence was unwanted. The students would soon be back from class in a few hours and he was sure they would all be sour towards him. Even if Kaname told them not to kill him, it didn't mean they wouldn't send him evil glares that made him want to kill himself.

Zero suspected Kaname was already in his room. Ugh, their room. That thought alone made him want to go and jump in a very deep hole and bury himself in it. However, he did not go and jump in a hole. Instead, he stomped up the stairs to the room he would be sharing with Kaname, scowling as he did.

When he opened the doors to the room, he was greeted by an amazing room. Before, it had been dark and he hadn't had the opportunity to see the room, but now it was well lit by candles and moonlight.

The walls were a dark crimson color stretching down to a soft black carpet. To his left was the sitting room decorated with gold plush chairs and a long brown couch. A glass coffee table sat in the middle of the arrangement of furniture, covered in papers and empty wine glasses.

To the far right, up three steps, was the bedroom. The large bed which he had had the pleasure of sleeping in once was covered in the red duvet with golden and black striped pillows. On either side of the bed was a small table with a light sitting in the middle.

Zero dropped his bag in the middle of the floor and flopped on the bed. Rose petals fell around him, all the color of the night. He gently plucked one from the bed and ran his thumb across the soft material.

The bathroom door opened and Kaname stepped out, his hair wet from a recent shower, his black robe the only thing covering his body. He smirked when he saw Zero lying on his bed, spread eagled, playing with the roses he had covered the bed with. For a moment he just watched, not wanting to disturb the younger boy from the trance he was in. After all, Zero's life was going to be hell from now on and Kaname wanted nothing more than to ease the pain that would no doubt be on it's way.

"If you want to take a shower, go ahead," he offered quietly.

Zero let out a long sigh and pushed himself up. "I guess," he muttered, walking past Kaname and into the large bathroom. The mirror that he had nearly shattered had been replaced, he noticed immediately. The next thing he noticed was the pure eccentricity of the room. A Jacuzzi, shower, and bathtub sat in the room, making it a hard choice for what to use. When he opened the cabinet that held the bath supplies, he was shocked to see at least one bottle of every shampoo scent and brand out there along with body wash and bath tablets.

He grabbed one of the bottles from the back and quickly stepped away from the cabinet. It looked like an entire row from Wal-Mart had been shoved into the little cabinet. It seemed the shower had been recently used but the bathtub was heaviest with Kaname's scent so Zero chose the Jacuzzi.

When he lowered himself inside, he found the bubbles slightly comforting. They brushed against his skin, slightly tickling him. Inside the hot water he felt all the tension drain from his muscles and for once he was glad he was stuck in Kaname's room.

Sighing, he ducked under the bubbling water. The warmth burned his face slightly but he was grateful for the slight sting. All he could hear were the bubbles traveling through the water, from the bottom to the top. The roar in his ears was enough to block all the other sounds of life around him. He couldn't even hear Kaname in his head anymore.

He broke the surface of the water, gasping for breath. His face was red from the heat of the water and his skin was pruning, but he felt much better than he had in days. Months even. He felt like a new person. He climbed out of the water after shampooing his hair with some purple liquid that smelled like lilacs and changed into his pajama's, which was really just a pair of shorts and a shirt.

He exited the bathroom, his hair still dripping.

"Feel better?" Kaname asked quietly. He was sitting on his couch, a book sitting on his lap.

He only shrugged, not offering any words.

"Well if you're ready, it's time to sleep." Kaname stood, placing his book on the coffee table. He watched as Zero fell backwards onto his bed. He couldn't help the hopeful smile that cross his face. "So you will sleep beside me?" he asked.

Zero gave a short chuckle. "Nope. You're sleeping on the couch."

Kaname's face fell then twisted into a scowl. "I think not. This is my room. If anyone should be sleeping on the couch it's you!"

Zero sat up, his face just as menacing as Kaname's. "Excuse me? I am the guest. And as my host it's your job to make sure I am comfortable!" He growled the entire sentence out between clenched teeth, determined to make Kaname do as he wanted.

The older vampire snorted. "You aren't a guest. You are permanently living in this room and so you are a resident. You will sleep on the couch!"

"I will not bow to you like the others, Kaname!" he shouted. "You can't use your pureblood status to force me into doing your bidding because this time, I refuse to take it! In case you have forgotten, I am now a pureblood too!" His breathing was coming in quick gasps now as he screamed his pent up feelings at the older boy.

Kaname was suddenly in front of him, his lips turned down in a frown, his eyebrows pulled together, and his eyes ablaze with anger and frustration. "I made you," he hissed. "Don't use your new status to try and one-up me because you will fail."

Zero pushed Kaname backwards and stomped around him, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Kaname." Zero had gone strangely cold. His face was stone cold and his entire body was stiff. "For a moment, think about the situation. We're bonded. We're tied together by blood all because you wanted to save me from insanity and death. That's the reality. You're turned my blood pure. Don't think," he hissed lowly, "That for a second you are better than me. You've been on your pedestal for far too long, and you don't know how to share the power. We're in this together and until you figure out how you're going to treat me better than an ex-human that you walk all over, I refuse to even breathe the same air as you." He stepped towards the door.

Kaname was by his side in an instant. His face was contorted with pain and guilt. One hand pressed the door shut while the other snaked around the silver haired boy's waist, pulling him close in an apologetic embrace. "I'm sorry," he whispered against the boy's neck. "I was out of line. And you are right, I don't understand how to share my power with you. I've been in control of these others for so long that I have forgotten what it's like to stand with other purebloods." His breath ghosted the sensitive skin on Zero's neck. "Please don't leave."

Zero smirked. That had worked exactly as he had planned. He knew the Blood Tie was still faulty at the moment and Kaname hadn't gotten a chance to feel his feelings or hear his thoughts for a brief time. And Zero threatening to leave him at that time had scared him. Who knew if the Blood Tie was going fail or not while Zero was away? So he had pulled Zero in for a hug, which even though it was awkward, it was necessary for Zero to get what he wanted. "Then let me have the bed."

Kaname pulled back and scowled. "I don't want to sleep on the couch."

"Then sleep on the floor."

A sigh. Then, "Would it really be bad to share a bed?"

Zero sighed. "Fine. We can share a bed. But if you so much as touch me I swear I'll kill you."

Kaname nodded.

They climbed under the covers, the silk sheets brushing against their skin as they slid into position. Zero turned his back on Kaname, thought better of it, and turned back around. He saw Kaname watching him, his brown eyes glinting in the sunlight that poured in from the windows. For a moment, he opened his mouth to speak, wanting to say something so Kaname would stop staring at him, but with a tired sigh, he turned on his side and closed his eyes.

Kaname smiled and fell asleep, his finger tips brushing the exposed skin on Zero's back.

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Kaname gently shook Zero awake. "It's time for class."

Zero sleepily pulled the covers over his head. "I'm skipping."

With a sigh, Kaname jerked the covers from over the other boy and pulled him out of the bed. He dragged him across the room, tossed him on the couch and gently picked up a white uniform.

"I'm not wearing that."

"Yes you are."

"I refuse."

"Don't make me dress you myself."

Blushing, Zero took the uniform and began to strip. He felt eyes following his every move and a warm feeling crossed the Blood Tie.

He crossed into the bathroom, not liking being ogled by the pureblood. Once since, he stripped himself of his night shirt and pants and kicked them to the side, still eyeing the uniform warily. He knew what he would look like once dressed in the pristine uniform and he definitely didn't want to look like a stuck up snob as the uniform would portray him as. So, he set himself up on a mission to make himself look as normal as possible. He pulled on the white pants, grimacing as he looked at himself in the mirror. He already looked like a snob! In a poor effort to look casual, he dressed in the dark shirt, buttoning it up but leaving the upper three unbuttoned. Then he pulled on the white jacket. He left his shirt un-tucked, purposely scuffed his shoes, and let his pants hang low on his waist. To be honest he looked like a slob, but it was better than looking like the other vampires.

Exiting the bathroom, he took in Kaname's horrific expression. "Fix that outfit!" he ordered immediately.

Zero stuck out his tongue. "I refuse." With that, he made his way towards the door.

Kaname's cold hand wrapped around his arm and tugged him towards him. "I will not allow you to exit this room looking like this!" He tugged on Zero's pants, trying to pull them into a better place that didn't show half his ass. As he yanked, the fabric brushed against the tip of his cock. He let out a small gasp and purposefully forced walls around his mind so Kaname wouldn't feel the effect that simple friction had on him. Besides, if Kaname found out he was walking around without any kind of underwear, he was sure he would never hear the end of it.

Ignorant to the other boy's discomfort, he continued trying to redress him. "Your shirt isn't tucked in or buttoned!" His hands quickly fluttered up and with flick of his wrist his shirt was brought together by the golden nubs. Shaking his head, he grabbed the edge of Zero's shirt and began tucking in the shirt.

However…

He grabbed the last bit that was sticking out and jammed his hand down the front of Zero's slacks. He knuckles brushed against a growing erection. At the same time, the walls around Zero's mind cracked and came tumbling down.

It was said that in the early stages of the Blood Tie the participants wouldn't be able to block their thoughts or feelings for some time so it was amazing in itself that Zero was able to accomplish the feat let alone keep them up for the few seconds he did.

When they were once again rejoined by their minds, Kaname was bombarded by a nearly painful pleasure. For a second, his eyes met Zero's and in that moment so many emotions were laid bare. First it was embarrassment, because for one, Kaname's hand was still inside Zero's pants. And two, Zero was getting hot and bothered by a male! Thousands of emotions were flashing through their minds but one was more prominent than the others.

Pleasure.

His judgment clouded by the Blood Tie, his hand twitched. As his flesh connected with Zero's, a certain urgency flashed through them both and suddenly, Zero was pressed against the wall, his teeth sinking into the neck of his Blood Mate while the other's hand closed around his cock and began pumping up and down in time with their matching heartbeats.

Zero moaned and strained his hips upward, trying to get Kaname to work faster. He could feel himself reaching his end but it seemed too far away with Kaname's languid stroking. Panting, he tore his mouth away from Kaname's neck, his stomach full of the delicious blood. His pants were around his ankles but he soon kicked one leg free as he felt Kaname's fang poke into the flesh of his neck. Groaning, he wrapped his free leg around the older boy's waist, pulling him closer, his only thought being of climax.

Kaname's tongue pressed against the holes he had made in Zero's neck, lapping up the blood as best he could. The white uniform was already stained badly from both of their feeding. At the end of this, they would both need knew uniforms. But that was the farthest thing from his mind as pleasure raced down his spine. The Blood Tie made it possible for Kaname to experience the same pleasure Zero was receiving but when Zero felt Kaname's enjoyment of the actions, the pleasure was amplified.

Kaname felt his muscles tense as it prepared for climax. He wrapped his arm around Zero and they both stumbled backward onto the bed, Zero falling on his back, his leg still wrapped around his Blood Mate's waist. Kaname sped up his hand at the same time freeing his own erection. He tightened and loosened his grip on the silver-haired teens cock at random intervals until finally they both came with loud screams. White sparks erupted behind their eyes as they experienced what was most definitely the bed orgasm either had ever experienced.

They both panted, sucking in deep breaths. Before either could come to their senses and realize what had just happened, they both drifted into a dreamless sleep.

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TS: That had to be one good orgasm to put them to sleep that fast! LOL. Hope you enjoyed!

REVIEW!!


	3. Chapter 3

TS: To all those who asked, no, Zero has not been marked yet.

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It was painfully awkward the next day. When he woke to the soft light of the setting sun streaming in through the window, Zero scrambled out of bed. Somehow, he had ended up sleeping next to Kaname the entire night, curled up next to him as if the older boy were protecting him from something. The closeness of their bodies surprised him at first until he finally dredged up the memory of the pervious night.

Embarrassed and shameful, Zero quickly took a shower and dressed. He was quiet, so as not to wake Kaname. When Kaname shifted in bed and groaned, Zero quickly scampered from the room and ran downstairs, not wanting to have to talk about what had happened between them.

Kaname waited until Zero had left to get up. He felt through the Blood Tie that Zero didn't want to talk and he too felt that the conversation that would inevitably happen would be too awkward to go through right now. Silently and deep in thought, he got ready and headed downstairs just as the students began trickling out the door to their classes.

Zero was in the middle of the crowd but he could tell he was very unwanted. Several of the students bumped into him purposefully, knocked against him and screaming at him to watch his step. He merely rolled his eyes. Aido and Kain ran past him, one of them knocking him in the back of head but acting as if they hadn't done it.

Kaname saw all this and sighed. Poor Zero was being tortured. But he knew Zero wouldn't let him help. It was all so hard on Kaname not to be able to do anything for his Blood Mate. For once he welcomed the prospect of distracting himself with class but he was surprised when the crowd of vampires stopped just short of the gate. Hushed whispers and frantic chatter began. Worriedly, Kaname forced his way to the front of the crowd.

"Counselor Jenks?" Kaname gasped as he set his eyes upon the old man. The elder vampire smiled back at him and then cast his eyes on Zero.

Kaname knew what was going on. He knew it was only a matter of time before the Council got word of Zero's existence but he had kept that information away from the Headmaster and Zero. There was no reason to tell them, because once Aido and Kain spread the word, all the aristocrat's with connections to the Council would alert their families and soon the Council would be aware of Zero's presence in the vampire world. He couldn't have stopped it even if he had tried.

"Hello, Kaname," the old man crowed. "It's certainly been a while since we've talked, hasn't it?"

Kaname found it was hard to work his mouth. Slowly he said, "Yes. We should catch up sometimes soon."

Counselor Jenks smiled. "I would love that."

Kaname nodded numbly. "Is there any particular reason you are here today…sir?"

Zero glanced at Kaname and rolled his eyes. _It's obvious they've come to kill me. Just let them do it._

Kaname's eye twitched. _Then I would die too you dim wit! _

"Actually I'm here on official business. You see…we've received word that there is an ex-human that has been walking amongst you for a while. Now, I don't like to be all formal so I'll skip reading all the other questions and simply ask the most important question of them all." He turned to face Zero. "How long have you been an ex-human?"

Zero looked away. "I was first turned about seven years ago."

The Council member looked stunned. Cautiously he walked forward to examine the boy. "You don't look sick at all! In fact you look perfectly healthy!" He nodded to himself while muttering under his breath.

Kaname twitched again. "So…?" he asked nervously. "He's fine right? No need to worry about him?"

The Councilor looked at him with excited eyes. "It's obvious I got here just in time." He placed a hand on Zero's shoulder who shirked the hand off angrily. Ignoring the boy's obvious bad attitude, he continued. "I'm sorry my dear boy, but today is the day that I must exterminate you."

Kaname felt sick in that instant. Even though vampires don't get sick, he suddenly wanted to vomit.

"W-why?" he asked shakily, suddenly even paler than usual.

The Councilor looked straight into Kaname's eyes. "Ex-humans always look their best before they fall. Like they fight their hardest on that day or something. I don't know the specifics but I just know that it's time to kill this one."

Zero glared. "I'm right here you know."

The Councilor glared back at him. "You are nothing. Keep quiet while I contact the rest of the Council and get their approval before continuing."

Kaname felt utter despair rock through his body. He had to come up with something. And fast.

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"They're going to kill Zero!" Kaname shouted, entering the Headmaster's office. The man looked up, suddenly alarmed.

"Who?" he asked, titling his head to one side.

"Zero!" Kaname shouted as he sat down. As soon as he sat he stood back up and began pacing. He couldn't sit, not when Zero was on Death Row. Soon he would be killed unless Kaname found a way to get him out of this. He was practically bouncing from his frayed nerves.

The chairman looked confused. "Zero is going to kill…Zero?"

Kaname shared in his confusion. "Huh?"

The chairman leaned back in his chair. "That's what you said."

Kaname took a deep breath. "The Councilor…He's going to kill Zero! Councilor Jenks came…someone from the class told someone…and… They're going to kill Zero!"

The Chairman lifted an eyebrow. "There's only one way to stop him you know."

Kaname's head snapped towards the Headmaster. "There is? Tell me what to do!"

The Headmaster wondered how bad Kaname had to be freaking out for him to be this out of it. He leaned forward, placing his chin on his folded hands. "You're the last of the Kuran's. They wouldn't kill you. Granted, they wouldn't want a vampire hunter to join the ranks of the purebloods, what's done is done, and my guess is they would let Zero off the hook if they knew of the Blood Tie."

Kaname nodded. "Oh!" With that, he ran out of the room.

Confused once again, the chairman rolled his eyes.

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_Let him do it!_

_I refuse to let you die! I'll just tell him the truth!_

_Then everyone will know about the Blood Tie!_

Kaname was back in the crowd debating with Zero in his mind. Zero was arguing with him about what to do. Should Kaname burst through the crowd and reveal their secret? Or should he watch Zero die? Neither one was very appealing.

Of course, Zero wanted the second option. He didn't want anyone to know what had conspired between him and Kaname but at the same time he didn't want to die. Not after he had just been saved. It was just his luck that once he had accepted he was going to live and not lose his mind that it would be ripped away from him because of one mistake.

_Look, just let them do it._

_Zero…I don't want you to die. I saved for a reason. It would be a waste of my efforts if you died here, taking me with you._

_I'm sorry, when did I ever give the impression that I cared?_

Counselor Jenks forced Zero onto the ground. The crowd of vampires chattered with enthusiasm. They were excited about the death of the ex-human. Zero fell to his knees in front of the older man with a soft whimper. His hair fell over his face and he fought back tears as the old man raised his sword above his head.

_I don't want to die!_ Zero cried in his head.

"Wait!" Kaname yelled over the crowd. "Stop this at once!" Kaname pushed through the crowd just before the sword came down. "You can't kill Zero unless you kill the Kuran Clan!"

_Stop!_

_But you just said-_

_That was a momentary lapse in judgment._

_Too late now._

The counselor stopped and looked curiously at Kaname. "Kuran-sama? What it the meaning of this? Do you plan to die for this pitiful ex-human?" He snorted as if the idea were amusing. "If you feel any attachment to this thing then you must quickly push it away." He raised the sword once again.

"It's already set in stone, sir. Or should I say blood?" Kaname responded, forcing the blade away from the silver haired teen. Zero was glaring at him from the ground.

"Shut up!" Zero hissed angrily. "If he doesn't kill me, then I will kill you!"

_I'm doing you a favor!_

_This isn't what I'd call a favor!_

Kaname reached down and plucked Zero from the ground. With one swift movement, he pinned both of Zero's arms to his side.

"Stop it!" Zero growled as he tried to bite at Kaname. The elder looked displeased with this action. He started to reach out to help restrain the wild boy but Kaname glared at him. He reached down, trying to lift the edge of his shirt. Zero sank his teeth into Kaname's neck. The else gasped in surprise but not at Zero's closeness to the pureblood, but instead at the little tattoo on Zero's hip.

"In order to save Zero Kiryuu, I began a Blood Tie with him."

The sword fell from the old mans hands with a clatter. The other students gaped at Kaname as if he were crazy.

"A Blood Tie!" Some students cried. They had only ever heard about it in legend but they had no idea that those practices were still around.

Kaname nodded.

The Councilor fell to his knees. "I am…so sorry!" he gasped with his head bowed. Zero licked at the blood on his lips, enjoying the taste. He ignored the man on the ground. "I hate you," he mumbled to Kaname.

Kaname pressed his fingers to the healing wound on his neck, fingering the wet blood that dripped onto his palm. He dragged his tongue along on the trail, enjoying Zero's look of anger.

"I wanted that," he pouted.

The Councilor jumped to his feet. "This must be discussed at length with the Council!"

Kaname let out a shaky breath. Things would have to get worse before they got better.

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Later that day, Kaname and Zero were in their room. It wasn't until after their showers and when they were climbing into bed that they remembered the actions of the night before. Zero looked at Kaname.

_About last night…_ he began in his head.

Kaname took a deep breath. _It was a fluke. The Blood Tie was still settling in and we couldn't control it. _

Zero nodded._ Goodnight, then._

_Night…_

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TS: Whatcha think? Good? Bad? Suckish? Awesome? Tell me in a REVIEW!


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